AETC commander immersed in Lackland fundamentals

AGE 6 TALESPINNERMARCH 27, 2009BMT HONORSCongratulations to the folowing74 Airmen for beingelected as honor graduatesmong 748 trainees gradutingtoday.320th Training SquadronFlight 249David AcevedoColby BrookensJoshua HillKyle MaddenCharles NauckNathaniel RobieAndrew SarriaOctavius WilliamsFlight 250Katelyn HartmanLogan Pope321st Training SquadronFlight 247Richard AllairePeter BarrowsBrenden BiceAaron ColemanPreston GoodwinCole JohnsonJoshua KillianCory LillbergBy Senior Airman Robert Barnett59th Medical Wing Public AffairsCol. (Dr.) William Beninati,9th Medical Operations Groupommander, is the recipient of the008 American Hospitalssociation Federal Health Carexecutive Award for Excellence.The award was created by themerican Hospital Association’sonstituency Section for Federalospitals. It recognizes a seniorederal health care executive whoas distinguished himself throughignificant leadership or innovaiveachievements that have conributedsubstantially to the misionof the federal health careystem.Colonel Beninati runs a 1,850-ember organization comprisedf eight squadrons that providemergency, medical, surgical,orthopedic, rehabilitative, peditric,obstetric, gynecologic, radilogic,mental health care and their Force’s only Level I traumaenter. Members of the groupeploy around the world to proidelifesaving critical and surgialcare on the battlefield andumanitarian support to developngallied nations.His career-long involvement inWilliam RankinJoseph RichmondCaleb RodriguezIsaac SmithFlight 248Brian VanceCory West322nd Training SquadronFlight 253David JeongKevin MederosAaron TorresFlight 254Anthony CosgroveRichard HolderRyan ShimatsuPeter SlafkoskyNathan Wilson323rd Training SquadronFlight 258Kelly AbatiAdriana ArscottAnne Gielyn AsiChelsea CogswellKathleen CurryAshley DayEva DeanJaime Dennerthe development of ground-breakingcritical care modalities withuniversal application was key tohis receiving this award.“I am speechless. I am just onemember of a great team extendingfrom our front-line Airmen tothe headquarters,” said ColonelBeninati. “I am deeply appreciativeof the support from the wingfor what the 59th MedicalOperations Group has accomplishedand for supporting me forthis award.”Among his many accomplishments,Colonel Beninati was recognizedfor the development andimprovement of expeditionaryaeromedical capabilities that havereduced the average timebetween battlefield injury anddefinitive care from 38 days toless than four days, a 14 percentreduction in mortality. He isbringing this vision to the developmentof the San AntonioMilitary Medical Center as a keymember of its executive steeringcommittee.Colonel Beninati received theaward Thursday at the joint federalsector breakfast during theAmerican College of HealthcareExecutives annual meeting inChicago.Lauren DimmickMichelle HensleySamantha JanssonHillary KarryZakiya KeittMonica MendenhallAlicia PhelpsLynsey RandolphAmy ShackelfordAshley SibbyJennifer SiroveyJillian Welch324th Training SquadronFlight 255John BoserDouglas BrandlBarry BrewerJoshua HaydonKyle KirchemSteven NelsonFlight 256Andrea SchamsLaura ShorttAlexandra Woodlee326th Training SquadronFlight 245Stephen BallDavid HernandezLandon IversonWilliam WarrickFlight 246Stephen LieserRobert LynchTravis RoyalEdward VillanuevaTaylor Yockey331st Training SquadronFlight 251Brandon BachJonathan HoggAlan NovakFlight 252Benjamin WisemanTop BMT AirmanRichard Allaire, 321st TRS,Flight 247Most Physically FitMale AirmenLandon Iverson, 326th TRS,Flight 245Geoffrey Smart, 331st TRS,Flight 251Female AirmenMegan Meyer, 320th TRS,Flight 250Melanie Harris, 324th TRS,Flight 256Top PT FlightsMale Flights322nd TRS, Flight 253321st TRS, Flight 247Female Flights323rd TRS, Flight 258320th TRS, Flight 250Top Academic Flights323rd TRS, Flight 258320th TRS, Flight 249WHMC commander wins national medical awardPhoto by Senior Airman Robert BarnettCol. (Dr.) William Beninati, 59th Medical Operations Group commander (standing), andSenior Airman Sara Furman, cardiopulmonary technician, discuss the results provided bya plethysmograph, which measures patient pulmonary functions, on March 17 at WilfordHall Medical Center. Colonel Beninati is the recipient of the 2008 American HospitalAssociation Federal Health Care Executive Award for Excellence.