New Horizons 2009 provides 944th FW personnel a unique opportunity

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Barbara Plante
  • 944th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  The 944th Medical and Aeromedical Staging Squadrons deployed to Corriverton Guyana, South America, July 18 through Aug. 1 to participate in a humanitarian mission as part of New Horizons Guyana 2009.

"The exercise was designed to strengthen ties with partner organizations in Central and South America through quality of life. There are other medical and dental mission occurring in Guyana, be we are the first medical mission to go in." said Maj. Tri Trinh, 944th Medical Squadron Health Service Administrator and Medical Planner for the New Horizons Guyana 2009 deployment.

New Horizons is a long-running, program that provides humanitarian assistance to countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. This project creates a rare opportunity for AFRC members to combine with military members from all around the U.S. to work side-by-side training and working humanitarian missions.

Working out of the Skeldon Regional Hospital the medical and dental missions provided much needed care for the people of Corriverton. In just nine days, the 944th Fighter Wing medical teams treated more than 5,400 Guyanese. The 22-member group provided general medical care and diagnosis, dental check-ups and extractions, eye exams, pharmaceutical prescriptions and public health lessons.

"The deployment also provided a unique training opportunity, to prepare military primary care providers in executing medical care to civilian populations in the aftermath of humanitarian emergency," Major Trinh said.

Being close to the equator, the Arizona reservists worked in a warm and very humid environment. For the most part living conditions were scant at best, sleeping on cots in non-air conditioned rooms, no hot water and eating Meals Ready to Eat (MRE) for a good part of the deployment. However, given the austere conditions and limited supplies available an astounding 7,021 prescriptions were dispensed, 1,474 eye glasses were given and 546 teeth extracted.

"One of the most popular sections was the optometry clinic because a pair of reading glasses we would spend $10 for in the drug store would cost a poor person about three weeks worth of salary." said Senior Master Sgt. Troy Lillemon, deployment Unit Medical Planner Mission Advisor. "People would start lining up every day for the glasses at 3 a.m. because we had to limit the number of people seen per day."

Although the group only had one day off while deployed, they were able to tour the sugar plantation and went to the local market. The town's main employer is the sugar plantation and a lot of the people the team saw make their living off of the sugar fields.

"We met every objective the deployment demanded and exceeded the total number of patient encounters expected. Even with the primitive conditions and remote location, I would absolutely do it again. What really made it an outstanding deployment was the exceptional talent and flexibility of the 944th Medical and ASTS squadron personnel that participated on the tour," Sergeant Lillemon said.