Portrait of BSC Chief continues tradition at 882nd TRG

  • Published
  • 882nd Training Squadron
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Former chief of the Biomedical Science Corps Col. Jeffrey Sventek, retired, unveiled his portrait at the 882nd Training Group medical schoolhouse April 23.

The unveiling ceremony honors the former BSC chief and continues the tradition of displaying the portraits of all former BSC chiefs. The current BSC chief, Brig. Gen. Theresa Casey, presided over the ceremony.

"It was beyond anything I'd imagined," Colonel Sventek said of the ceremony. "To look out into the audience and see friends from 25-30 years back, who came out to congratulate me and wish [my wife and I] well, was truly breathtaking."

Corps chief portraits are displayed throughout the main hallway of the 882nd TRG. The portraits are a visual history of the Air Force medical service's tradition. Once retired, each Corps chief chooses the particular setting for their portrait. It started with the first BSC Chief, Col. Alvin Meyer, and continues with Colonel Sventek, the 14th BSC chief.

The colonel cracked a self-deprecating joke when he said his portrait "can only be as good as its subject," but seriously hoped the portrait would "convey his personality and an image of leadership."

Colonel Sventek received his commission as a distinguished graduate of the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps commissioning program. Over the course of his 31-year career, he held many positions, including: aerospace physiologist, chief of operational support, chief of aerospace physiology, squadron commander, medical group commander, special assistant to the Air Combat Command director of Operations for Human Performance, consultant to the air force surgeon general for aerospace physiology and human performance, chief of Medical Support Policy and Operations Division, Office of the Surgeon General and finally deputy command surgeon, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command.

As deputy command surgeon, Colonel Sventek advised the command surgeon on all medical matters including the health and well-being of personnel. He also assisted in the management of AFMC's 10 community-based medical treatment facilities, responsible for more than 7,000 medical personnel and healthcare for more than 435,000 beneficiaries.

While leading the BSC, Colonel Sventek was the primary point of contact to the Air Force Surgeon General on all matters affecting BSC officers. In this position, he provided mentoring, professional advocacy and force development for 2,400 officers serving in 17 distinctly different specialties.