Robins Medical Logistics: Getting Supplies Here, There, Everywhere
Wednesday, March 29th, 2023
When Senior Airmen Sabrina Ocampo and Kyle Rogers walk into the 78th Medical Group clinic at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia clinic, the excitement of their customer’s is almost comparable to kids seeing Santa Claus.
Though not dressed in red, but instead wearing their camouflage uniforms of the day, the pair travels with a cart piled with a variety of medical supplies.
Ocampo and Rogers are 78th Medical Logistics Flight technicians, which is connected to the 78th Healthcare Operations Squadron.
“The smiles and 'YAYs’ brighten my day,” said Rogers. “Customer satisfaction is important. It gives me a sense of accomplishment, because I know I’m providing a service for something bigger.
“Our squadron is vital to the 78th Medical Group’s mission,” continued Rogers. “Without us, it can jeopardize the entire medical group getting critical supplies to treat Airmen. So our jobs are very critical.”
The medical logistics’ warehouse is the place to get all things medical and even non-medical supplies for the installation.
“It’s the foundation for the 78th Medical Group clinic,” said Capt. Victor Johnson, 78th HCOS Medical Logistics flight commander. “Without medical logistics, you can’t do anything else. We order the supplies for the doctors, nurses and technicians, and we also calibrate medical and dental equipment.”
“Whatever it takes” is the mission and mindset of these Airmen commonly known as “Log Dogs”.
“I like that we can work at our own pace,” said Ocampo. “We never know what to expect because it all depends on what is being delivered. On some days, it can be a lot and on other days a little.”
Medical logistics is also responsible for ensuring deploying medical teams have everything they need to establish clinics stateside or abroad.
“We work with a variety of vendors to secure medical prescriptions and supplies,” said Master Sgt. Nadia Wolf, 78th HCOS Medical Logistics flight chief. “We are also responsible for ordering items like stethoscopes, dental chairs, MRI machines and any tools used for patient care. If it is something that belongs in a medical treatment facility, we order it."
Their work is centered around: Contracting, facility management, supply chain management, storage and distribution, medical materiel quality control, medical assemblage, management/war reserve materiel, inventory/property management
The logistics flight is also responsible for war reserve material. Those are deployable packages containing a variety of medical supplies for the wing and deployed when called upon.
“What I like most about working in logistics is that there are so many diverse sections,” said Rogers. “I have really enjoyed learning how the entire process works on purchasing, delivering and everything in between. But the greatest thing is helping provide for the entire medical group, which is helping my fellow Airmen.”