MEDICAL LESSONS LEARNED

File: aaata_24.txt
Page: 24
Total Pages: 36
                                        MEDICAL LESSONS LEARNED
                                          DESERT SHIELD/STORM


           CATEGORY:  Manpower  and  Personnel

           ISSUE/ITEM:

           SUBJECT:  Personnel Utilization-Special Skills

           BACKGROUND: All medical personnel are subject  to  deployment  unless  specifically
           exempted Fu-e to higher priority missions.  This policy is sound; however,  it  also
           becomes  problematic   when   deployment   requirements   dictate   the  loss    of
           unique/specialized skills which support  other  vital  programs  such  as  Graduate
           Medical Education (GME) or very narrow clinical specialties.

           DISCUSSION: Desert Shield required the deployment of teaching  program  staff  at
           both Wilford Hall and Keesler.  Some critical specialties were  totally  bereft  of
           staff.  In order to maintain program integrity, we sought  to  secure  IMA  backfill
           on a by-name basis as individuals with specific clinical and academic  skills  were
           required.    Working  these  requests  was  difficult  and  frustrating,   but   did
           eventually work.

                        One physician was returned from overseas due  to  the  fact  that  his
           expertise could not be replicated by any other  individual;  CHAMPUS  referrals  in
           that specially were exorbitant and he was subsequently returned.

           ACTION RECOMMENDED:

                        (1)  Ensure that IMA  assets  with  requisite  academic  and  clinical
           skills are pre-assigned to  support  GME,  other  teaching  programs,  or  specially
           programs.

                        (2)   Where  critical  individuals  cannot  be  backfilled,   consider
           exemption from mobility with appropriate substitution for the UTC AFSC-

           SUGGESTED OPRs/OCRs:
                                  HQ   ARPC/SG
                                  HQ USAF/SGHR
                                  MAJCOM/SGM

           SUBMITTER:_  [(b)(2)]             HQ ATC/SGAX