445th Airlift Wing members travel to Alaska for Arctic Care 2009

  • Published
  • By Stacy Vaughn
  • 445th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB, Ohio --  Five members representing both the 445th Aeromedical Staging Squadron and the 445th Aerospace Medicine Squadron deployed with 200 other service members from across the nation to Bethel, Alaska, March 6 as part of a 10-day Joint Forces medical readiness and logistics initiative called Operation Arctic Care.

Sponsored by the Innovative Readiness Training Program under the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, the focus of Operation Arctic Care is to provide much needed no-cost health care, health education and veterinary services to underserved populations within Alaska's Yukon/Kuskokwim Delta region.

Upon arriving in Alaska, members from the wing will fall into their respected teams with the other service members. Each team, a total of 11 altogether, will be comprised of a support staff and the following health care specialties; medical, dental, optometry, nursing, and veterinary care. Additional manning available to support the teams includes mental health, audiology and physical therapy support.

After arriving in Alaska, the teams were forward deployed via Army National Guard UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters with equipment and supplies to provide health care and veterinary services in the following 11 villages on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta: Alakanuk, Atmauthluak, Chevak, Hooper Bay, Kalskag, Kwethluk, Kwigillingok, Mountain Village, Newtok, Quinhagak and Toksook Bay. Residents of nearby villages will have the opportunity to travel to one of the sites to receive services.

Technical Sgt. Letroy Mays, 445th Aerospace Medicine Squadron, is the lead enlisted member representing the wing. He said his team's function will be to set up an outpatient clinic to conduct well-care check-ups. As a medical technician, his role in Alaska is to help out the doctor on his team. "My team will be setting up a full-fledged medical clinic in Quinhaga to provide medical service to those who do not have the opportunity to visit a clinic because of the remoteness of the area where they live."

While in Quinhaga, Sergeant Mays will conduct audiograms, draw blood for lab work and help the doctor with anything else needed. He said if further testing and evaluations are needed, the individual will need to travel to Bethel, Alaska. With Arctic Care, the individual will have the chance to have their overall health assessed, an opportunity they may never have had before.

The Yukon/Kuskokwim Delta region consists of remote and relatively sparse populations, separated by great distances from essential medical services. The result is a profoundly underserved population. "I'm looking forward to participating in this event because it's a chance to help the Native Americans with medical needs and we'll be working and living in field conditions that bring back memories of when I was on active duty," Sergeant Mays said prior to leaving.

Col. Karen Nagafuchi, 445th Aeromedical Staging Squadron, said that she's looking forward to the deployment and to provide help to those who have not had the opportunity to seek any type of health care.

"Some of the remote villages we'll be assigned to will resemble working in conditions associated with Third World nations. Some of the areas are so remote that, for example, this may be the only time some of these individuals will have ever had any dental care," she said.

Because of the limited amount of space on the helicopter, Col. Nagafuchi said she was told she could only take one duffel bag and one backpack. "The limited amount of space is going to be a challenge because you need to pack for weather that ranges from 45 degrees to 15 below zero," she said.

Members from both AMDS and ASTS look forward to sharing their stories about their trip to Alaska when they return.