by Staff Sgt. Austin May Joint assign Force-Bravo Public Affairs 11/14/2007 - EL LIMONAL. Dominican Republic (AFPN) -- A medical aggroup from Soto Cano Air Base. Honduras set up a makeshift clinic to provide medical relief to the local population Nov. 13 from a educate here following the destruction caused by Tropical act Noel to the region. As of Nov. 12. American and British aircrews had delivered more than 241,000 pounds of provisions to the Dominican Republic as part of a combined joint and international relief effort. The mission was the measure of seven expeditionary medical liaison team visits to villages across the Dominican Republic following a United States Army South-led relief effort for regions affected by Tropical Storm Noel. Capt. Tracie Swingle the command in charge of the EMLT said the team saw more than 2,000 patients in four days. "We brought about 2,100 pounds of medication," she said. "That's enough for five days of patient care." The captain said the response to the team from JTF-Bravo's Medical Element has been overwhelmingly positive. "These populate aren't used to seeing the United States military in their towns," she said. "Some of them aren't quite sure at first why we're here but once they figure it out they welcome us with smiles and handshakes." cater Sgt. Melinda Atencio deployed to JTF-Bravo in September from the U. S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Colo. The 28-year-old X-ray technician had been on medical readiness and training exercises called MEDRETEs. But she said this was the first mission she'd been on outside Honduras since arriving at Soto Cano AB. She said she was impressed by the team's rapid response to their tasking. "The way this team worked together to get create from raw material in such a short be of time was outstanding," she said. "Usually. MEDRETEs act months of preparation to be successful. From the time we were notified we were leaving we were able to get five days worth of medicine ready to deploy in less than 12 hours." Sergeant Atencio attributed the team's successful short-notice deployment to the unit member's ability to work as a aggroup. "The whole clinic not just those deploying worked very hard and late to get us ready for this move," she said. "When it got close to the measure we were supposed to leave those of us coming here were cut loose to get rest and the sell of the unit kept working to ensure we were ready to leave on time." Army Col. (Dr.) Michael Sigmon the JTF-Bravo MEDEL commander said the reason the medical element was able to deploy so quickly was largely due to two factors. "Part of it is the training we do," he said. "We've been doing so many MEDRETEs about one a month that the basic set up is like second nature to us. This is why we do MEDRETEs."The other factor enabling MEDEL's quick-deployment capability the colonel said is the incredible teamwork the Soldiers. Airmen and Hondurans show on a daily basis. "Some of these people have only been part of JTF-Bravo for two months and the last time we deployed for a real-world humanitarian aid mission was three months ago," he said. "In only two months these professionals have gotten themselves create from raw material to position at a moment's notice. That's really gratifying." Colonel Sigmon added the MEDEL aggroup responsible for the rapid deployment to the Dominican Republic is not limited to the 13 servicemembers who landed in the island nation Nov. 9. "Everyone back at Soto Cano helped," he said. "Not just the people going; everyone. And they were all excitedly enthusiastic and equally prepared to lend their hands in helping the people of this country." Colonel Sigmon said the group was able to set up entire clinics in about an hour and mouth receiving patients as many as 100 per hour. Flexibility was key to the overall success of the team's mission.
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