59th Medical Wing

59th Medical Wing
Emblem of the 59th Medical Wing
Active	1941–1942; 1943–1944; 1948–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Wing
Role	Military Medical
Size	8,000 personnel
Part of	Air Education and Training Command
Garrison/HQ	JBSA-Lackland, Texas
Engagements	World War II (American Theater) Anti-Submarine Warfare 1941-1945
Decorations	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (17x) [1]
Commanders
Current commander	Brig. Gen (Dr.) Gwendolyn A. Foster

The 59th Medical Wing (MDW) is the U.S. Air Force's largest medical wing and is the Air Force functional medical command for Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA). It comprises seven medical groups across San Antonio. Three are located at the Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center (WHASC); the 959th Medical Group is located at San Antonio Military Medical Center (SAMMC), JBSA-Fort Sam Houston; the 59th Training Group - the wing's newest group, activated on 4 January 2016, is also located at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston. The 359th and 559th Medical Groups are located at and support the missions of JBSA-Randolph and JBSA-Lackland, respectively.^[2]

The 59th MDW operates with a $271 million budget, and a staff of 8,000 military, civilian, and contract personnel. The 59th MDW is home to the Critical Care Air Transport Team Pilot Unit (CCATT), which has executive management over 118 active-duty, Guard and Reserve teams. The wing also has the Defense Department's largest Blood Donor Center, a Warfighter Refractive Surgery Center, and Extracorporeal Life Support (ECLS) capability. The ECLS offers the only global transport option in the world, providing partial heart-lung bypass to eligible adults, infants, and children suffering from severe cardiopulmonary failure. The medical wing also has the largest dental facility in the DOD and the only dental group in the Air Force. The 59th Dental Group examines approximately 36,000 basic military trainees and 28,000 technical training students a year. It has the only stereolithography and modeling lab in the Air Force, which produces dimensionally-accurate medical models and craniofacial prostheses. This capability provides rehabilitative support to patients with acquired or congenital defects of the head and neck region.^[2]