Wright-Patterson medical services celebrates 4 award winners

  • Published
  • By Laura McGowan
  • 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio, --   Four members of the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base community were recently recognized by the Air Force Surgeon General as recipients of the Air Force Medical Service 2014 annual awards. 

These awards are presented to individuals and teams whose accomplishments in research, teaching and inpatient care exceed the standard.

Among the Airmen recognized were Lt. Col. (Dr.) Ryan Mihata, Senior Airman McKenzie Redberg, Capt. Jameson Voss and Tech. Sgt. Tyler Britton. 

Mihata was awarded the United States Air Force Clinical Excellence Award -- Field Grade category. As the emergency services flight commander for the 88th Medical Operations Squadron, he leads the Air Force's largest emergency services flight and emergency residency program, a 24/7 operation that employs 117 employees with a $2.3 million workload. 

Redberg was honored as the Outstanding Aerospace Medicine Airman of the Year. She was recognized as the Airman of the Year in 2013 and Airman of the Quarter in 2014. Redberg has also taught 256 hours of classroom and podium lectures. 

"It's especially gratifying to recognize Ryan and McKenzie," said Col. Timothy Ballard, 88th Medical Group commander. "Ryan's superb leadership of our emergency department has been particularly noteworthy, and McKenzie has been key to the success of our training programs. I'm very proud of each [of them] and the contributions they make to our patients' care and education." 

Voss, 711th Human Performance Wing (HPW), Air Force Research Laboratory, won an award for Outstanding Achievement in Clinical Research. Voss oversaw the $1.5 million Small Business Innovation Research grants and advanced diagnostic tools, submitted two patents, validated 354,000 records and initiated a 35-year mortality study. 

Additionally, he investigated U-2 pilot physiology brain lesion risk factors and briefed his findings to the Air Force surgeon general at a national conference. 

Britton is an instructor at the Center for the Sustainment of Trauma and Readiness Skills in Cincinnati while assigned to the 711 HPW. During his 15 combat missions, totaling 61 flight hours, Britton provided excellent care to 17 critically injured patients without losing a patient. He co-led eight Department of Defense research initiatives and proposals that reduced surgeon general combat casualty care treatment gaps. 

"We are extremely proud of Voss' and Brit-ton's accomplishments and recognition at the Air Force level," said Brig. Gen. Timothy Jex, 711 HPW commander. "They represent the exceptional professionals [that] we have throughout the wing and are the reason we've achieved such incredible success."