79th Medical Wing

79th Medical Wing
Members of the 79th Medical Wing care for a simulated trauma victim during training at Joint Base Andrews
Active	1955-1960; 2006–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Medical care
Part of	Air Force District of Washington
Garrison/HQ	Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility
Decorations	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Website	www.79MDW.af.mil
Commanders
Current commander	Colonel Sharon Bannister
Insignia
79th Medical Wing emblem (approved 21 November 2006

The 79th Medical Wing is the United States Air Force's single unit planning and implementing Air Force and joint medical solutions within the National Capital Region. Activated on 10 May 2006, it is the largest wing within the Air Force District of Washington and one of two medical wings in the Air Force. The wing was originally active as an infirmary at Youngstown Municipal Airport between 1955 and 1960.

The 79th Medical Wing is a tenant unit on Andrews Air Force Base, and headquartered at Malcolm Grow Medical Clinics and Surgery Center. As part of its mission, the wing organizes, trains, equips and provides medical forces for Air and Space Expeditionary Force deployment, homeland operations and in support of joint operations within the National Capiral Region, and is the east coast hub for aeromedical evacuation aircraft returning sick or injured patients from the Atlantic area.

Additionally, the 79th Medical Wing is responsible for providing medical support to Presidential, Congressional, Joint and Air Staff special airlift missions.

The wing was first organized in August 1955 as the 79th USAF Infirmary at Youngstown Municipal Airport when the 79th Fighter Group was activated to replace the 502d Air Defense Group as part of Air Defense Command's Project Arrow, a program to restore fighter units that had compiled memorable records in the two World Wars. The unit absorbed the personnel and equipment of the 502d USAF Infirmary.

In May 1957, the unit became the 79th USAF Dispensary, when the Air Force renamed its small medical units. The dispensary was discontinued along with the 79th Group in March 1960, when the ADC turned its factilities at Youngstown over to Continental Air Command for use as a reserve station.