MDG commander retires after 29 years

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Heather Stanton
  • 49th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  The 49th Medical Group commander retired here April 23 during a ceremony that celebrated his nearly 30 years of military service. 

Col. Matthew Adkins began his Air Force career in January 1974 as an enlisted medic. After his first enlistment, the colonel attended college at Middle Tennessee State University where he earned himself a bachelors degree in Business Administration. After graduating in 1979, Colonel Adkins became a flight instructor and commercial pilot, then rejoined the Air Force as an officer in 1982. 

Throughout his entire career, Gail, the colonel's wife has been there for him. They got together after Colonel Adkins saw her during a softball game during his freshmen year of college. He bet his friends $5 he could get a date with her within two weeks, and he succeeded the very last day. 

During his career, Colonel Adkins has done many great things for the Air Force, and during his ceremony, Brig. Gen. David Goldfein, 49th Fighter Wing commander, highlighted a few of them. 

"He has paved the way for the most respected and feared Air Force we enjoy today," said General Goldfein. "He played a significant role in the merger of Strategic and Tactical Air Commands into Air Combat Command and the associated development of managed medical care across our Air Force. 

"As Tricare was developed," the general continued, "Colonel Adkins was on the leading edge as a briefer, traveling around the globe to explain this new system of healthcare to military members and their families." 

One of the things the colonel highlights about his career was his time supporting combat search and rescue missions in Operation NORTHERN WATCH. 

"It was very rewarding," he said. 

The colonel has done many things and has been many places throughout his career, but thinks of Holloman as terrific. 

"It was the first time I got to be the boss," he said. "It was my first time to be a group commander and do things I wanted to. I have watched high school kids blossom into Airmen, and Airmen blossom into NCOs in the three years I have been here." 

As the boss of the 49 MDG, Colonel Adkins has had many accomplishments. 

"The medical group continues to provide medical support to the Holloman community," he said. "We have also deployed a number of medics and manage to sustain care at home base. We support every other unit on base in deploying because everyone goes through the medical process." 

He ended his career and his time at Holloman with a Health Services Inspection rating of EXCELLENT, the highest score of any Air Force facility in fiscal year 2007. 

"I am proud of having a professional medical force right here," he said. "I would go to war with this group any day." 

Colonel Adkins doesn't see his retirement as a retirement, he sees it as a permanent change of station to civilian life. He will be "PCSing" to his wife's hometown in Tennessee. 

"This is the first assignment where Gail gets to pick where she wants to go," he said. "I'm going to take some time off to go fishing and then decide on a job."