FALLS CHURCH, Virginia –
Air Force Medical Command leaders said True North+ will reach full operational capability in October 2026 while sharing implementation guidance with Department of Air Force leaders July 21, 2026.
More than 400 DAF commanders and program personnel attended two virtual town hall sessions where AFMEDCOM leaders answered questions on manpower realignment efforts as major commands execute the current phase of the TN+ Programming Plan.
Until the programs are fully integrated, OST and TN will operate as independently, managed by their respective OST or TN program management office, major command and installation levels, according to Col. James Shields, AFMEDCOM IOS chief.
The current phase of the TN+ PPlan realigns installation OST and TN personnel under a single unit manning document while maintaining existing operations. Shields said major commands are responsible for executing manpower movements and notifying affected military and civilian personnel.
Once the transition reaches full operational capability, all installation OST and TN personnel will fall under a unified TN+ as a separate and independent function under the Wing’s Special Staff or equivalent in accordance with the TN+ Program Action Directive 24-04. The chief of TN+ will be the highest-ranking officer - holding either a medical or chaplain Air Force Specialty Code - who realigns to the TN+ program from the transitioning TN or OST billets.
When FOC occurs, the AFMEDCOM TN+ Program Management Office will issue additional operational guidance for enterprise-wide execution.
“As the True North+ program stands up and the PMO stands up, guidance will occur on future communications, installation operations, and data-tracking systems,” said Dr. Andrea Berg, IOS medical program integrator. “That will come when FOC is established.”
During the town hall, leaders addressed questions from the field, clarifying funding responsibilities and personnel alignment across installations with multiple wings or major commands. They stressed that personnel in OST or TN should not expect changes to their current physical work locations until the TN+ PMO provides guidance after FOC.
Local wing commanders will decide how resources are allocated, Shields said, noting those decisions will be informed by operational priorities and available data.
TN+ is the result of Department of the Air Force efforts to combine OST and TN programs into a single, line-funded IOS program. The initiative streamlines oversight, standardizes execution and supports Airmen and Guardians through integrated medical, human performance and resilience capabilities while preserving installation-level execution under wing and delta commanders.
Visit AFMEDCOM’s IOS Kx portal for more information and to access frequently asked questions relating to TN+.