Medical Squadron commander retires after 33 years

Published Aug. 28, 2013
By Master Sgt. Bob Barko Jr.
910AW/PA

YOUNGSTOWN AIR RESERVE STATION, Ohio -- Air Force Reserve Col. Ronnie J. Roberts, commander of the 910th Medical Squadron (MDS) here, honorably concluded a 33-year military career during a retirement ceremony held at the air station's Community Activity Center, August 3, 2013.

Col. Roberts, a Mahoning Valley native, took charge of the medical squadron on May 6, 2007 and during his more than six years as its commander directed the unit's support of more than 20 deployments, led his Airmen successfully through an Operational Readiness Inspection (ORI) and a Unit Compliance Inspection (UCI) and oversaw a 1 million dollar renovation of the MDS facilities at YARS.

In addition, Col. Roberts led a team of more than 30 Citizen Airmen on a Medical Readiness Training Exercise (MEDRETE) to the Dominican Republic from April 26 to May 8, 2009. During the mission, 910th MDS personnel provided much needed medical care to more than 10,000 Dominicans, or more than 1,000 people per day over the course of the 10-day mission. At the time, Col. Roberts had nothing but praise for the group from YARS.

"It's impressive. They all really came together as a team," said Col. Roberts. "It was hard to tell who had been working with each in Youngstown for years and who hadn't."
Looking back, the retiring squadron commander said the MEDRETE mission was his favorite mission during his time at YARS.

"We went to help those folks," said Col. Roberts. "But, they helped us too. (They helped us) to grow and work together."

Upon arriving at YARS in 2007, Col. Roberts equated the task of completing the work ahead of him to that of consuming a large pachyderm. He asked the question, "How do you eat an elephant?" and answered his own question without missing a beat, "One bite at a time."

Almost seven years later, when asked how much of the elephant we ate, Roberts answered with a laugh.

"Well, we took a couple of good bites out of it," said Col. Roberts. "With the ORI, the UCI, the remodel that came in on budget and on time and MEDRETE, I think we did pretty well."

During the retirement ceremony, the invited speakers confirmed that the several years had been good under the colonel's command and that he was always working to better the unit.