Rescue Doc best in AFRC

  • Published
  • By By Master Sgt. Raymond F. Padgett
  • 920th Rescue Wing
PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Air Force Reservist Flight Surgeon Major Patricio G. Bruno, Chief of Flight Medicine for the 920th Areomedical Staging Squadron here, was selected as the 2008 Air Force Reserve Command Flight Surgeon of the year.
The award is established by the United States Air Force Society of Flight Surgeons and named after Major General Malcolm C. Grow. General Grow was the first surgeon general of the United States Air Force and is credited with many innovations in the area of aircrew safety and survival equipment.
Major Bruno's civilian occupation is the assistant professor of family medicine at the University of Connecticut's School of Medicine affiliated with Saint Frances Hospital in Hartford where he is also the director of inpatient hospital services.
His efforts led to flight medicine receiving an Outstanding on the 920th ASTS Health Services Inspection. The in-house training program he developed has resulted in a four-fold increase of flying physical capability.
"We are proud of Major Bruno's selection as the 2008 Air Force Reserve Command Flight Surgeon of the year. His professional skills, caring manner and willingness to serve have truly made a difference in the war effort and with our home station support of our troops. He represents the very best AFRC and our wing has to offer this nation," said Colonel Steven Kirkpatrick commander of the 920th Rescue Wing.
He has volunteered to serve numerous times overseas and has provided critical care to many wounded soldiers and airmen in the Area Of Responsibility, Colonel Kirkpatrick said.
His expertise in the Spanish language was extremely valuable for a short-notice deployment to Moron Air Base Spain where in addition to providing medical support to deployed aircrew he rapidly formed a close liaison with the local hospital and provided training to permanent party medical personnel.
On a subsequent deployment to Ramstien Air Base, Germany he provided medical care to aircrew as well as flying downrange himself on aero-medical evacuation missions. He spent much of his off-duty time lending his expertise to the contingency areomedical staging facility.
Major Bruno functions as the senior reviewer for all waiver packages and developed a system that decreased waiver turnaround time to less than five days. He is also the chair of the local areomedical council and has flown rescue support missions for National Aeronautics and Space Administration space shuttle launches.
"Major Bruno is a highly skilled physician who possesses exceptional managerial and leadership skills," said Colonel Lewis Neace, commander of the 920th ASTS. "I have found no task that he does not accomplish with swift and skillful excellence."
"While I am honored to be selected as the award recipient I must accept it on behalf of my flight surgeons, nurses and the wing itself. My accomplishments are only the result of their hard work and dedication," Major Bruno said.