42nd MDG supports Alaska Arctic Care exercise

  • Published
  • By Carl Poteat
  • Air University Public Affairs
Two members of the 42nd Medical Group participated in a joint Air Force, Army and Navy medical and dental exercise in 11 of Western Alaska's most remote villages March 6-15.

Dr. (Maj.) Weilun Hsu and Tech. Sgt. Michael Rountree, both of the Maxwell Optometry Clinic, were among a team of medical personnel that participated in the 15th annual Operation Arctic Care, which brought health care and veterinary support to underserved populations in the Yukon-Kuskokwin Delta region.

The mission was based in Bethel, Alaska and augmented by pediatric oral surgery, gynecology, and colonoscopy teams operating at the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation hospital. Teams comprised of medical, dental, optometry, nursing, and veterinary personnel, to include support staff, were forward deployed to provide healthcare services in thirteen villages on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. Additional manning included mental health, audiology, and physical therapy support.

Due to dramatic and unexpected changes in weather conditions, flexibility and patience during this mission were imperative and were the keys to mission success as the teams braved harsh winter weather and temperatures up to 41 degrees below zero, Sergeant Rountree said.

Medical team members were transported by Blackhawk helicopters, he said. Several teams had to be turned away halfway into their flight to their respective villages due to extreme winter storms, which often blanketed some of the mountain villages with inches of snow in several hours.

"Our location changed twice and took two days longer to get to before we reached our destination, which ultimately became Russian Mission, a tiny Alaskan village bordering the Yukon River," Sergeant Rountree said.

With 50 people away to Anchorage for the annual festival, Sergeant Rountree said 196 out of 250 remaining Russian Mission residents he and Major Hsu examined were primarily school-age children with myopia and astigmatism.

One group of patients had extremely high astigmatism; however, the other group had an average amount of astigmatism, Sergeant Rountree said. Because of the advanced, portable optometric kits and lens fabricating capability, the turnaround time for a pair of glasses was 24 hours.

He added that many of the villagers received their glasses before the medical team had departed. One of the eighth graders received her glasses and, for the first time, was able to see without squinting anymore.

Recounting the young girl's reaction to clear sight, Sergeant Rountree said the girl was very happy. "Thank you so much for coming here," he recalled her saying. "You not only bring happiness to our village, but life to my sight!"

Sergeant Rountree said instant gratification is so rewarding that it has made Major Hsu, a six-time humanitarian-mission veteran in the past four years, strive to do missions like Arctic Care again and again.