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Have you ever given thought as to what life would be like without your friendly neighborhood Biomedical Sciences Corps Officers? My guess would be no, unless you’re a BSC, but I suspect in order to answer that question or understand how your life would be affected, you would need a bit more background on who we are and what we do.
The idea for a separate but equal corps for commissioned officers who serve as non-nurses, physicians, dentists and administrators was the idea of Col. Alvin Meyer, a bioenvironmental engineer who lobbied for change. Soon after, Air Force Surgeon General Lt. Gen. Richard Bohannon presented the thought that allied health professionals such as physical therapists, pharmacists, dietitians and the like required a separate corps for proper force development.
The Biomedical Sciences Corps was first established on January 28, 1965, but it was not until March 15 of that same year that we were actually stood up within the Air Force Medical Service.
Today, the BSC consists of approximately 2,400 officers comprised of 15 Air Force Specialty Codes encompassing 18 specialties.
We are found in command, staff, research and clinical jobs, as well as many non-traditional medical roles. We are found deployed and at home stations, and we usually make up the majority of officers you’d find at a local medical group.
So imagine for a bit: No BSC would mean there are no pharmacy benefits at the clinic, no validation of safe food and water, no hearing checks, significantly fewer medical and mental health appointments, out of pocket expenses for active duty eye exams, and the list goes on and on.
The 2016 BSC Appreciation Week is being held Monday through Jan. 29. Take some time to say hello to your favorite BSC Airman and let them know you appreciate their contribution to the Air Force mission and the Ramstein family.
