The United States Air Force Medical Service (AFMS) consists of the five distinct medical corps of the Air Force

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

 and enlisted medical technicians. The AFMS was created in 1949 after the newly independent Air Force’s first Surgeon General

Surgeon General of the United States Air Force

The Surgeon General of the United States Air Force is the senior-most Medical Service officer in the U.S. Air Force. In recent times, this has been a Lieutenant General who serves as head of the United States Air Force Medical Service...

, Maj. General Malcolm C. Grow

Malcolm C. Grow

Major General Malcolm C. Grow was the first Surgeon General of the United States Air Force from July 1, 1949 to November 30, 1949.-Biography:...

 (1887–1960), convinced the United States Army

United States Army

The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...

 and President Harry S. Truman

Harry S. Truman

Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...

 that the Air Force needed its own medical service.

In the summer of 1949, Air Force General Order No.