Pride of the Pack: Staff Sgt. Derrek Ross

  • Published
  • 8th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  

Unit: 8th Medical Support Squadron

Duties: Oversees homeland station medical response projects and assists with war reserve material inventories.

Hometown: Dearborn County, Ind.

Hobbies: Reading the Holy Bible, school, anything outdoors, friends and family

Favorite music: Any Christian music

Follow on: Spangdahlem AB, Germany

Last good movie you saw: Neverland

Best thing you've done here: Serving at the Sonlight Inn, the chapel and the local Gunsan City orphanage

Reason for nomination: "This week was a great week for the Air Force and a great week for Sergeant Ross. The culmination of his yearlong efforts came together during the 8th Medical Group's 2011 Logistics and Readiness Pacific Air Forces Staff Assistants Visit. Sergeant Ross led the reorganization of the war reserve material warehouse by palletizing and transporting 37 pallets and triwalls. These components consisted of 1,700 medical supplies and 800 hazardous materials worth $1.5 million. This redesign of assets led to a 35 percent increase of warehouse space and improved the wartime readiness of the MDG's WRM assets by 20 percent. Furthermore, Sergeant Ross revamped the 8th Fighter Wings's $2.5 million peacetime home station medical response program increasing the nine projects supply rates by 32 percent. These actions rejuvenated the program from "worst to first" in PACAF...total material availability percentage is now 91 percent, three percent above the Air Force average! This resulted in the PACAF SAV inspector noting the Kunsan account was the "Best account seen to date in PACAF". During the SAV, Col. Amir Edward, PACAF medical support division chief and member of PACAF IG, stated that the WRM warehouse should be a "benchmark for all the AF" and asked Sergeant Ross to develop a "presentation" for Colonel Edward to pass on to the rest of PACAF. Sergeant Ross's extraordinary accomplishments were acknowledged when the colonel presented him the coveted PACAF Surgeon General coin!" - Capt. Thomas Telfer, 8th MDSS medical logistics officer