Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Md –
Airmen of the 316th Inpatient Operations Squadron (IPTS), the U.S. Air Force’s first squadron stood up at Walter Reed on Aug. 23, 2024, joined other team members at the medical center to celebrate the branch’s 77th birthday with a cake-cutting ceremony following morning colors on Sept. 19, 2024.
Squadron airmen raised the U.S. flag in front of Walter Reed’s historic Tower to begin the day and celebration.
During the ceremony, Senior Master Sgt. Erin Barger, senior enlisted leader for the 316th IPTS, comprised of approximately 130 Air Force personnel in the critical care unit and graduate medical education programs at Walter Reed, spoke about the history of the U.S. Air Force.
“While we celebrate [the U.S. Air Force’s birthday] today to align with morning colors, our actual birthday is on Sept. 18 in honor of the day President Harry S. Truman enacted legislation to establish the Air Force as its own service branch,” Barger shared.
She explained that the Air Force is not the only organization that could celebrate its birthday on Sept. 18.
“Prior to Sept. 18, 1947, the War Department and U.S. Navy Department largely stuck to their own domains of traditional warfare, operated with autonomy, and reported directly to the president. The atomic bomb changed everything the world knew and feared about war. Unified counterintelligence, nuclear deterrence, and air superiority became the new strategic challenges, and it was clear that existing structure could not absorb these evolving domains of war,” Barger added.
“Thus, were born the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the National Security Council (NSC), the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCOS), and the Department of Defense (DOD), as enacted by the National Defense Act of 1947,” said Barger.
She explained that unified command has proved effective through evolution and growth, and air dominance is invaluable to the nation’s defense.
“More recent and relevant to our mission at Walter Reed, air superiority was the key to securing the lowest casualty rates in modern warfare,” Barger stated. “The most conservative estimates I could find show casualties in the Vietnam conflict were over eight times higher than those in Iraq and Afghanistan combined, and the Vietnam conflict was 12 years shorter than the War on Terror,” Barger shared.
Barger said it’s difficult to predict the future but essential for the United States to “build capacity and experience for tomorrow’s fight.” She explained this means the U.S. having air superiority over any adversaries we may face.
“We must unify our efforts to pass on our legacy of success,” said Barger. “It seems our Air Force leaders agree, as evidenced by the activation of the 316th IPTS. We are excited for this opportunity and are ready for the challenges ahead. Our mission is difficult, but we owe it to our people and our patients to work together and see it through,” she continued.
“Let’s stand side-by-side to celebrate not just the Air Force’s birthday, but that of DOD’s and truly be one team,” she added.
In a video message to the Walter Reed team, U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. FaLana Gideon, commander of the 316th IPTS, said, “[The U.S. Air Force’s birthday] not only marks the foundation of an unparalleled force in aviation, but also serves as a reminder of the core values that define our armed services – integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do.”
Gideon said that since the Air Force’s inception, “it has proven time and again, its unwavering commitment to safeguarding our nation’s freedom.”
She added that the recent activation of the 316th IPTS, which she described as “a pivotal moment in military medical history marking a significant milestone for the U.S. Air Force at Walter Reed, is “a testament to the enduring spirit of collaboration and innovation that defines our military’s approach to health care.”
Gideon also called on people to “remember those who have served, those who have dedicated their lives and made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.”