72nd MDG commander aims to enhance organization, help personnel succeed Published Aug. 15, 2011 By Brandice J. O'Brien Tinker Public Affairs, Staff Writer Tinker AFB, Okla. -- To say Col. Dean Prentice is excited to be here could be the ultimate understatement. A graduate of Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, the Pennsylvania native considers Oklahoma his home. As the newest 72nd Medical Group commander, Colonel Prentice said during his leadership he will breathe new life into professional development and allow his staff to grow. His end goal is to leave the organization better than he found it and he's certain he can do it; he's leading an exceptional group of people. "I bring my love for taking care of the people who take care of the people," said Colonel Prentice. "If I take care of you and you take care of our patients and we take care of the mission, everybody wins and we go home satisfied. It's a great place to come to work and you want to come to work and give your best." Professional development is a concept Colonel Prentice said he believes in wholeheartedly. Not only does it grow better leaders, but it empowers Airmen and civilian personnel to take ownership in their workplace and feel comfortable offering solutions. Colonel Prentice said it's inevitable that there will be failure and mistakes, but that's part of the process to achieve excellence. "I truly believe it's about helping my youngest Airman and civilian up to my most senior staff go to the next level of what they want to do," said the colonel, who came to Tinker from Misawa Air Base, Japan, where he served as the 35th Medical Group deputy commander and chief nurse. "My goal is not to change them but enhance them and help them do their job even better." To achieve the end goal, the colonel said he will keep communication open and accept human mistakes. "Will we make mistakes? Absolutely. Will we drop the ball on customer service? Absolutely. We're human," Colonel Prentice said. "But the goal is how do we respond? How do we pick ourselves up and how do we make it right and move forward?" Colonel Prentice said he will do his part and believes in a hands-on approach -- meeting people, getting involved and being a mentor like the ones he's had throughout his 23-year career. Having grown up in rural Pennsylvania, Colonel Prentice said he knew he wanted to see other parts of the world and try something different. One of his cousins had attended college at ORU and highly recommended it. Knowing he wanted to be a nurse and could go to most any university, Colonel Prentice saw an opportunity. In his senior year, he went to an Air Force Recruiting luncheon and liked what he heard. He saw another opportunity. This one allowed him to see the world, serve his country and experience something new and different. Shortly after graduation he was commissioned. Colonel Prentice said it was the mentors through his career that empowered him to want to be better and prepared him to be a medical group commander here. Although he hadn't been stationed at Tinker until this assignment, he is familiar with Bldg. 5801, the medical clinic. Colonel Prentice said when he was first commissioned and undergoing necessary health tests, he came to Tinker with his recruiter to have blood taken. He walked the halls of the clinic, he spoke with its caregivers and he got a sense of what was here. Now, he leads this group. "This is what I wanted to do and I've been fortunate enough to have mentors and been provided opportunities along the way to obtain experience, learn and grow, and prepare me to take a role like this," the colonel said. "I hope we will raise leaders that are following behind me that will do so much better than I've done and they'll be better prepared to do this job than I ever was."