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        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      New medical support team reduces muscular-skeletal, mental health issuesPublished July 9, 2022
                    
                    By Donovan Potter
                    
                    
                    75th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
            **HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah (AFNS) --**One of the first multidisciplinary medical operational support teams in the Air Force is working to reduce muscular-skeletal and mental health issues at **Hill Air Force Base**.
The five-person team, consisting of an exercise physiologist, clinical psychologist, clinical social worker, physical therapist and strength conditioning coach, embeds with high-risk units for up to six months to accomplish desired results.Lt. Col. Ember Ryals, 75th Medical Group Operation Support Team flight commander, administers a time core strength assessment at Hill Air Force Base, Utah,Lt. Col. Ember Ryals, 75th Medical Group Operation Support Team flight commander, administers a timed core strength assessment Senior Airman Katelyn Day, 388th Munitions Squadron at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, June 2, 2022. The OST embeds with units for three to six months and uses a four-phased approach to determine how best to help reduce muscular-skeletal and mental health issues, and to establish internal sustainment when they move to the next unit. (U.S. Air Force photo by R. Nial Bradshaw)
            
            
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“What we’re really trying to do is observe for the broader, longer-term things that are causing muscular-skeletal and mental health issues so we can help the unit make adjustments to prevent future injury or mental health crises,” said Bill Goins, Base Operations Support Team specialist”
Risk data, collected from the **75th Medical Group** over the past year, identifies high-risk units on the installation.
“We take the data and approach the leadership of the top couple units on base and explain what we’re seeing and what we can do to help,” Goins said. “Units have been extremely receptive and excited to have us come in.”
Once in the unit, the OST uses a four-phased approach to determine how best to help reduce muscular-skeletal and mental health issues and to establish internal sustainment when they move to the next unit.Alisha Delacruz, 75th Medical Group Operation Support Team, speaks with Master Sgt. Simon McCabe, 388th Munitions Squadron first sergeant at Hill Air Force Base.Master Sgt. Simon McCabe, 388th Munitions Squadron first sergeant, speaks with Alisha Delacruz, 75th Medical Group Operation Support Team member, at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, June 2, 2022. The OST is a multidisciplinary medical team of muscular-skeletal and mental health professionals who use risk data to identify high-risk behaviors performed in daily duties. (U.S. Air Force photo by R. Nial Bradshaw)
            
            
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The team works side-by-side with unit members, in every section and on every shift to experience what Airmen experience on the job and to build trust with them.
“We’re out there trying to build trust and break down barriers so they will bring concerns to us,” Goins said. “We do a couple needs assessments, work in their sections with them and find out what they want and need. Then, we get to work helping Airmen”
During a recent embed opportunity with the 75th Security Forces Squadron, the OST observed a lack of shoulder mobility from people wearing their necessary gear.
The team’s physical therapist made suggestions on what squadron members could do before they arm-up with their gear and when they arm-down, to help reduce repetitive-use injuries.
Goins said the OST reduced profiles for lower back pain by 75% during their time with the 75th SFS.
“When we entered the unit, their muscular-skeletal profile risk and mental health profile risk was the 12th highest of 82 security forces units across the Air Force,” he said. “When we left, they were 75th of 82.”Senior Airman Katelyn Day, 388th Munitions Squadron, along with other Airman hold a plank pose during a timed assessment at Hill Air Force Base, Utah,Senior Airman Katelyn Day, right, 388th Munitions Squadron, and other Airman perform a plank exercise during a timed assessment at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, June 2, 2022. An Operation Support Teams assessed the Airmen while embedded with the unit to observe for long-term symptoms causing muscular-skeletal and mental health issues to prevent future injury or mental health issues. (U.S. Air Force photo by R. Nial Bradshaw)
            
            
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An essential part of what the OST does is to help the squadron build and expand upon what they can do without the team around and establish contacts where the team can reach back for sustainment.
“We develop the squadron performance optimization response team,” Goins said. “These are people in the unit, so when we transition to our next location, these folks can continue the goodness after we leave.”
Goins said the OST concept is important for the Air Force right now because instead of waiting for people to break, it’s getting in front of it before the breakage happens.
“We are doing physical jobs and mentally-stressful jobs and people break,” he said. “That’s not unique to the Air Force, that’s just people. It excites me for Airmen to have access to these specialties and knowledge in prevention.”
Every Air Force base is expected to have the services of an OST in the next three to five years.
“Our goal is the make Airmen better for themselves, for their families and for the Air Force,” Goins said. “It’s an exciting thing, for sure.”Hill Air Force Base 



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