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        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      Bunch briefs SECAFSecretary of the Air Force Barbara Barrett listens to the commander of Air Force Material Command, Gen. Arnold W. Bunch Jr., during a mission brief regarding AFMC and its response to COVID-19 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, April 21, 2020. Barrett met with Air Force personnel and toured several facilities at the base including the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine Epidemiology Laboratory, which is responsible for analyzing a majority of the COVID-19 tests in the Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ty Greenlees)
                
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        Barrett at WPAFBSecretary of the Air Force Barbara Barrett speaks with 88th Medical Group personnel at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, April 21, 2020. Barrett met with Air Force personnel and toured several facilities at the base including the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine Epidemiology Laboratory, which is responsible for analyzing a majority of the COVID-19 tests in the Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ty Greenlees)
                
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        Barrett at WPAFBSecretary of the Air Force Barbara Barrett speaks with Majors (Dr.) Evan Fisher and (Dr.) Matthew Koroscil at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, April 21, 2020. The base physicians are leading a novel plasma protocol to combat COVID-19 and infectious disease. Barrett met with Air Force personnel and toured several facilities at the base including the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine Epidemiology Laboratory, which is responsible for analyzing a majority of the COVID-19 tests in the Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ty Greenlees)
                
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        Barrett at centrifugeSecretary of the Air Force Barbara Barrett is briefed about altitude chambers used by the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, April 21, 2020. USAFSAM has maintained training protocols with the centrifuge throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Barrett met with Air Force personnel and toured several facilities at the base including the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine Epidemiology Laboratory, which is responsible for analyzing a majority of the COVID-19 tests in the Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ty Greenlees)
                
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        Barrett at USAFSAMSecretary of the Air Force Barbara Barrett stands by the centrifuge used by the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, shown to her at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, April 21, 2020. USAFSAM has maintained training protocols with the centrifuge throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Barrett met with Air Force personnel and toured several facilities at the base including the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine Epidemiology Laboratory, which is responsible for analyzing a majority of the COVID-19 tests in the Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ty Greenlees)
                
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        SECAF at NASICSecretary of the Air Force Barbara M. Barrett receives a brief from Col. Parker Wright, National Air and Space Intelligence Center commander (right) during a visit to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, April 21, 2020. Barrett visited to speak with analysts on the impacts of COVID-19 to mission-essential intelligence production. During the visit, Barrett was shown examples of the ongoing analytic efforts provided by the Air Force’s Service Intelligence Center. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Samuel Earick)
                
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        Col. Parker Wright, Commander, National Air and Space Intelligence Center, briefs Secretary of the Air Force Barbara M. BarrettNational Air and Space Intelligence Center commander, Col. Parker Wright briefs Secretary of the Air Force Barbara M. Barrett during a visit to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, April 21, 2020. Barrett visited to speak with analysts on the impacts of COVID-19 to mission-essential intelligence production. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Samuel Earick)
                
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SecAF views AFMC missions in action during COVID-19Published April 22, 2020
                    
                    By Marisa Alia-Novobilski
                    
                    
                    Air Force Materiel Command
            **WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFNS) --**Secretary of the Air Force Barbara M. Barrettpaid a surprise visit to Air Force Materiel Command Airmen executing critical mission activities at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, April 21.The visit provided an opportunity to highlight the countless ways AFMC Airmen are supporting the whole-of-government response to the coronavirus pandemic while continuing to safely execute the command’s critical missions for the warfighter.
“As a command, we continue to operate our critical missions while ensuring the proper safety precautions are in place,” said AFMC commander,Gen. Arnold W. Bunch, Jr. “This was a great opportunity to show the secretary how we’re leading COVID-19 activities to address urgent operational needs and continue to execute our wartime mission every day.”Barrett began her visit with a stop at the 88th Air Base Wing’s**I**ncident Command Center, the focal point for the base’s COVID-19 response, where she had the opportunity to learn how leaders are managing pandemic response and partnering with state and local agencies. She learned about the innovative ways Airmen are serving the base populous by redesigning pharmacy service and offering drive-thru COVID-19 testing.After a walk-through of the base screening protocol, Barrett was briefed oncontact tracing and deployment preparation. She also met with Maj. (Dr.) Evan Fisher and Maj. (Dr.) Matthew Koroscil, the two base physicians leading a novel plasma protocol to combat COVID-19 and infectious disease nurses on the front lines of the virus fight. The plasma protocol is currently experiencing a more than 90% success rate in treatment—promising news in the global fight to manage the COVID-19 illness.“Extraordinary Airmen across the command are working with the entire government and performing duties beyond their core missions to keep the nation safe and healthy,” Barrett said, while wearing a personal protective mask and maintained social distancing protocols for the duration of the visit. “Today’s visit was an opportunity to personally thank Airmen for their sacrifices and continued dedication during this challenging time.”
Prior to a visit to theAir Force Research Laboratory’s School of Aerospace Medicine, Barrett had the opportunity to learn more about current efforts led by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Centerto address both COVID-19 critical, urgent operational needs as well as ongoing programs to address warfighter requirements.“AFLCMC led a cross-functional, multi-organizational effort to create solutions for the warfighter at the speed of relevance to transport COVID-19 positive patients while ensuring the safety of the aircrews,” Bunch said. “I’m really proud of how the team came together to create solutions for DOD and the nation.”
The secretary was briefed on the center’s work withAir Mobility Command on the Transport Isolation System, recently used to transport COVID-19 patients from Afghanistan to Ramstein Air Base for treatment, and current work on the Portable Biocontainment Care Module(PBCM) and the Negative Pressure Container testing—two critical capabilities for safe, large-scale COVID-19 patient transport. Notably, the AFLCMC team was able to reduce the typical contracting time for the NPC from months to days. “We continue to drive acquisition timelines down,” saidLt. Gen. Robert McMurry, AFLCMC commander. “COVID-19 is not slowing our efforts; rather, it’s motivating us to find new ways to leverage tools and technologies to work as an acquisition community faster and smarter.”At the USAFSAM, Barrett met with the Airmen in the Epidemiology Lab who are responsible for processing more than 50% of the Defense Department’s COVID-19 tests. The laboratory is the sole clinical reference laboratory for DOD around the globe and is currently processing more than 1,000 tests per day through ramped-up, 24-hour operations in support of COVID-19.
The AFRL portion of Barrett’s visit continued with an overview of the laboratory’s efforts to leverage the Defense Production Act and industry to address critical COVID-19 requirements, including N95 mask production, respirators and nasal swabs. As widespread telework continues to be the norm across the command, the DPA teams leveraged video chat and virtual technologies to coordinate critical support for the warfighter with industry.
While Barrett’s visit was focused on AFMC’s efforts to support COVID-19, it also provided an opportunity for a quick glance at ongoing missions. She received updates on the AFLCMC-led female flight and defender equipment overhaul. At USAFSAM, she observed ongoing pilot training in the centrifuge. Barrett concluded the AFMC portion of her visit at the Air Force Test Center’s Landing Gear Test Facility where she learned about ongoing work in test programs with the potential to significantly improve acquisition timelines, life cycle costs and reduce mishap risks.
“Our work is critical and mission essential,” Bunch said. “This is just one of the many units across AFMC smartly and safely executing their missions amid the restrictions of COVID-19.”
Barrett’s visit ended at theNational Air and Space Intelligence Center where she spoke with analysts on the impacts of COVID-19 to mission essential intelligence production and discussed on-going support to both the Air Force and Space Force.The brief visit only touched on the many ongoing missions at AFMC and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, even during COVID-19, yet demonstrated the dedication and hard work of all AFMC Airmen in support of the Air Force.“When the nation calls, the Department of the Air Force stands ready to serve,” Barrett said. “Right here at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Airmen are doing what America needs most in support of the entire government response to COVID-19.”AFWN 



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