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Blackanthem Military News
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Last Updated:
Feb 8, 2012 - 5:19:58 PM |
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Blackanthem Military News
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| Navy Lt. Cmdr. Arlene J. Hudson (left) talks to Navy Ensign Doug T. Johnson (right), about anesthesia and the process for putting a patient under general anesthesia during an elective surgery at Seth Michaud Emergency Medical and Dental Facility at Camp Lemonier, Djibouti. Hudson, a Bridgton, Maine, native, is an anesthesiologist and Johnson, a Lecanto, Fla., native, is a staff registered nurse. The two servicemembers are deployed from National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jennifer Redente (RELEASED) |
CAMP LEMONIER, Djibouti - The primary mission of Expeditionary Medical Force 12 is to provide medical services to more than 1,800 personnel assigned to Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa at the Seth Michaud Emergency Medical and Dental Facility at Camp Lemonier, Djibouti.
"The primary function of the EMF in this deployed environment is to provide acute medical and dental care to CJTF-HOA and Camp Lemonier personnel," said Navy Lt. Cmdr. (Dr.) Michael J. Barker, EMF 12 general surgeon and senior medical officer. "We also provide emergent and limited elective surgical care. In support of this mission, we provide preventive medicine services, physical therapy, pharmacy, laboratory and radiological services."
In a given week, the EMF, staffed by 35 Sailors, sees an average of 315 patients for medical services.
"The most common medical service provided is military sick call, which usually treats respiratory infections, gastro-intestinal illness, dermatologic conditions and orthopedic injuries," said Barker. "The EMF is not equipped to provide specialty care due to limited resources such as diagnostic equipment."
When servicemembers require more assistance than what is available at Camp Lemonier patients are seen at Bouffard French military hospital in Djibouti, which has the equipment to treat their symptoms appropriately.
EMF 12 is able to assist not only fellow Sailors, but their fellow servicemembers as well.
"All special operations personnel depend on conventional military units like the Camp Lemonier EMF to provide surgical care and support for our warriors," said Army Col. (Dr.) Michael P. Mouri, Special Operations Command flight surgeon and diving medical officer. "We are most fortunate and appreciative to have a medical and nursing staff commanded by Navy Capt. (Dr.) Julie L. Miavez to care for our operators, other joint forces and contractors stationed here."
Recently a patient assigned to SOCCE had an elective surgery, which enabled him to not only stay in the deployed location, but the capabilities of the EMF provided him a short recuperation.
"Laparoscopic surgery offers many advantages over older, traditional techniques," he said. "For the patient, it is minimally invasive, meaning less trauma to the tissues, reduced pain and faster recovery time with a decreased chance of infection.
"If Dr. Michael J. Barker, who completed a laparoscopic surgical fellowship, was not here, we would have had to evacuate our senior enlisted advisor back to the United States for surgery and lost his services for two to three months." said the SOCCE surgeon. "Instead, he gets all four hernias repaired in a combat zone theater and returns to work in two days. That kind of service is invaluable for a tactical line commander, especially in special operations where our staff is traditionally very small in number."
Being able to assist patients and their commanders, like the SOCCE community, is part of the many pleasures the EMF 12 staff share, but there are other enjoyments this deployment has brought to the staff as well.
"I like the camaraderie that you get with the medical team, which entails corpsmen, doctors and nurses from all over," said Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew E. Thompson, EMF 12 hospital corpsman. "It's a job of constant learning and evolving to become a better technician or a better corpsman."
As with similar enjoyments, EMF 12 also share their dislikes of being away from their family, which included the holiday season during the six-month deployment, but the medical professionals understand it is a part of the serving their country.
"The chance to serve in a location where people are truly making a difference in the lives of others, and hopefully, those changes will be such that all of our contributions will help to increase the security of our nations and contribute to the welfare of all humanity," said Chief Petty Officer Shane O. Chung, an EMF 12 independent duty hospital corpsman.
CJTF-HOA's mission is to provide support in preventing conflict, promoting regional stability, protecting coalition interests and prevailing against extremism in east Africa.
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS:
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| Navy Lt. Cmdr. (Dr.) Michael J. Barker (left) inserts a laparoscope into a patient's abdomen to repair hernias and views a television monitor to see what the camera views inside the patient's abdomen. Barker, a Camden, N.Y., native, is the general surgeon and senior medical officer for the Seth Michaud Emergency Medical and Dental Facility at Camp Lemonier, Djibouti. Barker is deployed from National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. Medical professionals at the EMF provide medical services to servicemembers supporting the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa mission to prevent conflict, promote regional stability, protect coalition interests and prevail against extremism. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jennifer Redente (RELEASED) |
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| Navy Lt. Cmdr. J. Milo Sewards (right) shows Navy Chief Petty Officer Shane O. Chung how to wrap a walking cast for a fractured foot. Sewards, an Allentown, Pa., native, is the staff orthopedic surgeon for the Seth Michaud Emergency Medical and Dental Facility at Camp Lemonier, Djibouti. Chung is an independent duty hospital corpsman for the EMF. Sewards is deployed from Naval Hospital Beaufort, S.C., and Chung is deployed from Earle Naval Weapons Station, N.J. The two are part of a 35-man team who provide medical services to servicemembers supporting the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa mission to prevent conflict, promote regional stability, protect coalition interests and prevail against extremism. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jennifer Redente (RELEASED) |
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| Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Kinati T. Feyissa prepares a blood stain slide to be reviewed in the Seth Michaud Emergency Medical and Dental Facility at Camp Lemonier, Djibouti. The hospital corpsman is a Washington, D.C., resident who is part of a 35-man team providing medical services to servicemembers supporting the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa mission to prevent conflict, promote regional stability, protect coalition interests and prevail against extremism. Feyissa is deployed from National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jennifer Redente (RELEASED) |
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| Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Kurt B. Lewis (left) trains Seaman Christopher W. Hagger (right) how to clean the teeth of a patient. Lewis, a Ocean City, Md., native, and Hagger, a Jacksonville, Fla., native, are hospital corpsmen for the Seth Michaud Emergency Medical and Dental Facility at Camp Lemonier, Djibouti. The two provide medical services to servicemembers supporting the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa mission to prevent conflict, promote regional stability, protect coalition interests and prevail against extremism. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jennifer Redente (RELEASED) |
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anish neupane
08 Sep 2008, 05:26
Let's go........Nepal! Volunteering & Trekking!
Volnepal is organizing two weeks Nepal Visit Program @ October 14 to 28,
2008
Volnepal is organizing free Dental camp at Chitwan in association with four
Dentist From United Kingdom (The Coordinator of the program is Mr. Ziad
Ali) & Nepalese Dental Clinic. We are organizing 4 days dental camp at 2
Villages, 1 Orphanage home & schools. The main aim of this camp is to
provide free dental service and check up poor and under privileged people
of Chitwan. So if you have time please come and support us and join the
trip similarly we are organizing Kathmandu, Chitwan & Pokhara site tour
including rafting programs. And many more....
This might be the good opportunity to visit and volunteer in Nepal. So we
would like to request you to join the great events!
The Volunteer Nepal, partners with organizations to support community
Leaders and youth workers in community building, rural development, and
Sustainability efforts. Our model, which forms the basis for much of our
work, is an adaptable approach to community building in which youth and
adults work as partners to examine community resources, develop a community
vision, and take action to create meaningful change. We aim to improve the
quality of life for poor people in our countries by improving access to
healthcare, education, food, shelter etc through development projects,
think tank efforts and dialogue facilitation.
"Volunteer Nepal Projects: provides a great opportunity to visit Nepal,
help Nepalese communities to support different activities, to gain a
cultural experience, knowledge about Nepalese society history and much
more".
For more details!
Anish Neupane
Director
Volnepal
www.volnepal.np.org
facebook: volnepal
skype: volnepal
youtube: volnepal
photobucket! volnepal
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