We are JAB! What is that you ask? Let me fill you in… In 2017, the executive physician assistant leadership (the “Silverbacks”), led by Colonel Terry Mathews, reached out to Lieutenant-Captain Physician Assistants (PAs) to create a Junior Advisory Board (JAB).
Those on the board would be a direct line of communication between PAs “in the trenches” and the Silverbacks. Several PAs from across the Air Force submitted Curriculum Vitae and the Silverbacks chose one person from each MAJCOM to create the first JAB. It was slow going at first. We needed to create a charter, fill board positions, and determine when we would hold meetings. This was no small feat given all the time zones we needed to consider! With that work done, and with the guidance of the Silverbacks, we began to reach out to the Junior PAs and taskers from the Silverbacks began to roll in.
One of our first tasks is to compile a complete list of PAs within our MAJCOMs. In order to do that, JAB members have reached out to the other PAs in their MAJCOM, or have at least attempted to, to introduce ourselves. But as you are well aware, this is a moving target so we may have inadvertently missed some of you. Please help us remedy that! Why is this important for you? Because we are your voice and we can’t fully represent you if our information is incomplete.
Let’s talk about why JAB was created. We are here to take your questions, comments, and concerns regarding our career field up the chain to the Silverbacks. We are also here to get information out to you. Some of the things we are working on include having senior PAs be mentors to the junior PAs, getting a feel for what is going right and wrong in clinic, providing information to new PAs that is military specific (DAWG/IRILO/469/specialty pay, etc.), and having open lines of communication through different media, such as Facebook. We are also working closely with SAFPA to have some time at next year’s AFPARC.
What do we need from you? Your questions, crazy makers, comments and any ideas you may have to make our career field better. We really do want to hear from you! We also need to participate in surveys and respond to other requests for feedback. We can’t work to make change until we know from you which areas need our attention. Please reach out to us at the contact info shown.