KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- Across the Air Force Airmen in the biomedical sciences corps dedicate countless hours to ensure the health and welfare of the force. To recognize their accomplishments and raise awareness for these unsung heroes the Air Force has dedicated the week of Jan. 28 through Feb. 1, 2019, as the U.S. Air Force Biomedical Sciences Corps Week.

The BSC mission is to provide allied health support to retires, civilians, service members and their dependents.

“Our career field is a widely competitive category for officers,” said Maj. Richard Caballero, 18th Medical Support Squadron deputy commander. “We encompass a variety of Air Force specialty codes ranging from physical therapists to lab officers.”

For the U.S. Air Force the BSC consists of professionals in aerospace and operational physiologists, audiologists, bioenvironmental engineers, biomedical laboratory officers, clinical psychologists, clinical social workers, dietitians, health and medical physicists, medical entomologists, occupational therapists, optometrists, pharmacists, physical therapists, physician assistants, podiatric surgeons and public health officers.

“We catch all those gaps in the medical care that you don't often think about from testing the water to filling your prescriptions and drawing your blood for your lab work,” added Caballero. “We’re a wide breadth of allied health professionals.”

Officers in the BSC often rely on enlisted members and technicians to help accomplish their mission.

“They are the “tip of the spear,” exclaimed Maj. George Diaz, 18th Medical Group Diagnostics and Therapeutics Flight commander. “Their great attention to details and superb work ethic ensure accurate lab results, which helps in the proper diagnosis and treatment of our patients.”

Diaz also expressed great joy and a sense of accomplishment in his daily duties.

“Being able to cultivate a cadre of lab professionals, both military and civilians, who would go on to lead the future of biomedical science in the healthcare settings, research and development, and operational medicine is the best part of my job,” added Diaz.

This week is in honor of the 2,400 BSC officers and 6,800 enlisted members and civilians across the Air Force dedicated to serving our nation by keeping its war fighters in optimum health.