88th Medical Support Squadron gets new leader

88th Medical Group

Lt. Col. Damien Pardue assumed command of the 88th Medical Support Squadron during a ceremony June 24 at Wright-Patterson Medical Center.

Pardue succeeds Lt. Col. Matthew Gross, who is headed to MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, as the Special Operations Command Central Readiness deputy planner.

Col. Christian Lyons, 88th Medical Group commander, was the presiding officer.

During the ceremony, Lyons applauded the accomplishments of Gross and welcomed Pardue to the Medical Center.

After expressing appreciation to his spouse and children, Pardue said he was “humbled” to be selected as next commander of the “amazing men and women” of 88 MDSS.

“I look forward to getting to know and support all of you as your commander,” he added. “I also look forward to continuing the great work you all have been doing every day to support the world’s greatest Air Force.”

Pardue leaves his job as commander of the 39th Healthcare Operations Squadron and 39th Medical Group chief administrator at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, where he commanded more than 80 active-duty and civilian personnel and supported over 200 medical staff. He also directed execution of the clinic’s $7.1 million budget, providing health care to 4,000 U.S. and coalition forces stationed in Turkey.

Pardue also led a team supporting medical aspects of the Personnel Reliability Program to detect and defend U.S. and NATO personnel and assets throughout the region.

As the senior Medical Service Corps adviser, Pardue coordinated with the Air Force Personnel Center on MSC career progression, mentoring and posturing Incirlik’s junior officers for future leadership responsibilities and developmental education opportunities.

As the 88th Medical Support Squadron commander, Pardue will lead a 368-member unit, overseeing resource management, medical logistics, facilities management, TRICARE operations and patient administration, business planning, data quality, medical readiness contingency planning and training, information technology services, and personnel and administration support.

His responsibilities will include managing a $136 million operating budget, 60 hospital beds, $276 million in infrastructure, seven buildings, 155 war reserve materiel and home station medical-response assemblages valued at $49 million, in support of Air Force Materiel Command’s most diverse and complex air base wing with 28 associate and tenant units, servicing 58,000 patient beneficiaries in the central Ohio region.

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