Never short on supplies during Operation Arctic Care

Soldiers from the Alaska Army National Guard's 1st 207 Aviation Regiment guide a Black Hawk onto the flight line in Bethel, Alaska, March 12, 2009. The 1st 207 Aviation Regiment is responsible for transporting all medical teams and supplies during Operation Arctic Care, a Navy-led readiness exercise providing no-cost health care to 14 villages in Western Alaska's Yukon-Kuskokwim region. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Christopher Griffin)

Operation Arctic Care visits Kwethluck village

Tech. Sgt. Kristie Subieta, a dental hygenist assigned to the 507th Medical Squadron at Tinker Air Force Base, adjusts protective eye glasses on Dylon Sergie, 2, at a health clinic in Kwethluk, Alaska, on March 10, 2009. A joint military medical team is deployed to Kwethluk, a small village in Western Alaska, in support of Operation Arctic Care. This year's Navy-led mission has teams in 11 villages in Alaska's Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region providing medical, dental and veterinary support at no cost to Alaskan natives. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Christopher Griffin)

SJ medical team prepares for Operation Arctic Care

Published April 6, 2010
By Defense Media Activity

SAN ANTONIO (AFNS) -- A medical team from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base is preparing to embark on a two-week mission to Alaska next month.

Elements of the 916th Aerospace Medicine Flight from Seymour Johnson will send a team to one of the most isolated areas of the country, with some of the harshest weather in the U.S., April 10 through 24 in a real-world operation called "Operation Arctic Care."

A team of three medical professionals and a first sergeant will join teams from the Air Force, Army and Navy, including Reserve, Guard and active duty units, converging on 11 different remote villages near Kotzebue, Alaska. The Air Force Reserve Command will be leading the operation this year.

Air Force Master Sgt. Julia McKenzie, the first sergeant for the 916th Aerospace Medicine Flight, will assume the duties of first sergeant for the entire operation. "We'll have more than 250 service members from the Air Force, Army and Navy spread out over a wide area, making support and logistics extremely difficult," explained McKenzie.

"I volunteered for this operation because it gives me the opportunity to help with humanitarian efforts and make a difference in people's lives." McKenzie will be responsible for the morale, welfare and billeting of medical teams converging in remote areas of Alaska from units throughout the U.S.

McKenzie's team mates from Seymour Johnson include Capt. (Dr.) Robert Keenan, an Internist; Lt. Col. (Dr.) Frances McClure, a dentist and Tech. Sgt. Chelsea John, a medical technician.

With no vehicle access to the sites, the teams will be airlifted in by Army Blackhawk helicopters. The Seymour Johnson team will join military medical professionals from 30 states in what has become the largest recurring joint military medical and logistics training exercise of its kind, while providing real-world humanitarian assistance and medical care.

"This is truly a win-win opportunity for both the military and Alaska residents," said Col. Christine Barber, project manager for this year's operation. "Arctic Care helps simulate preparing and conducting medical outreach operations in the time of crisis, conflict or disaster, while at the same time filling a vital need for U.S. citizens. Our teams will be seeing patients who have to wait year-to-year to get even the most basic of medical care, such as dental check-up and eye exams."

This year's operation marks the 16th year military medical teams have converged on remote areas of Alaska to treat general health patients, in addition to providing dental care, eye exams and veterinary procedures.