Misawa Air Base, Japan -- Each year the United States Air Force recognizes the members who work in career fields associated with the Biomedical Sciences Corps (BSC). This year BSC appreciation week is recognized Jan. 28 through Feb. 1.
There are 16 professions that comprise the BSC at Misawa Air Base. One of these professions is the 35th Bioenvironmental Engineering flight.
The three pillars of Bioenvironmental Engineering are: Occupational Health, Environmental Health and Radiation Protection.
Day in and day out, these individuals ensure installation readiness while protecting the base populace from harmful bacteria and disease. An influential part of their job is to implement preventative measures and present health risk recommendations for commanders, enhancing their decision-making.
"A day as a bioenvironmental engineering tech entails anything from occupational health surveys such as noise dosimetry to ventilation survey and air samplings," said Senior Airman Cullen Jones, 35th Medical Group bioenvironmental engineering journeyman. "Also, we conduct environmental surveys like water samplings or radiation surveys."
Bioenvironmental engineering technicians also evaluate the hazards in the chemical, biological and radiological areas, conduct health risk assessments at industrial work centers, and provide personal protective equipment.
As if their daily duties weren’t essential enough, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the 35th Bioenvironmental Engineering flight assists the 35th Fighter Wing COVID Cell with contact tracing for confirmed COVID-19 cases.
To do all this, one must be efficient while providing precise readings to ensure the safety and readiness of the service members and families on base.
"Preventive medicine is hard to measure," said U.S. Air Force Major Raymond Mak, 35th Medical Group bioenvironmental engineering flight commander. "Knowing that we can protect the community and prevent personnel from becoming ill is one of the most rewarding things in this job."