Here's to your health

Photo By Senior Master Sgt. Corenthia Fennell | Staff Sgt. Paul Gorham, 332nd Expeditionary Aeromedical Squadron bioenvironmental engineer, tests a sample of water for pH and chlorine levels, Dec. 10. Sampling water is one of the steps in the water quality monitoring process. Gorham is a native of Coronado, Calif., deployed from Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.  

JOINT BASE BALAD, IRAQ

12.10.2010

Story by Staff Sgt. Corenthia Fennell 

332d Air Expeditionary Wing

JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq -- Air Force and Army entomology, bioenvironmental and public health technicians here have teamed up recently to make one force, Preventive Health.

These airmen and soldiers are responsible for maintaining the health of each individual here. They play a demanding role in almost everything from air quality sampling to sexually transmitted diseases.

“My job is to minimize the occupational and environmental risks to personnel [so they] can conduct the mission effectively and efficiently with minimal or no adverse health impact,” said Staff Sgt. Paul Gorham, 332nd Expeditionary Aeromedical Squadron bioenvironmental engineer.

The Coronado, Calif., native believes preventive health is one of the best jobs in the Air Force because it offers the opportunity to ensure servicemembers, civilians and contractors return home in the same condition in which they left.

Due to camp-like living conditions, insects and other pests pose a great threat to personnel in theater, thus requiring the need for pest management.

U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jonathan Haliscak, U.S. Forces - Iraq 789th Medical Detachment executive officer, deployed from Medical Readiness and Training Command at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, to oversee both pest surveillance and control operations.

“The scope of responsibility is broader than just insects. We also address rodents, birds, snakes and other arthropods such as scorpions and centipedes as required,” Haliscak said.

Although the focus is on protection from disease transmitting pests, nuisance pests are also addressed, adding an extra sense of comfort to coalition forces.

The Joint Preventive Health team is less than six months old and operations are proving to be a match made in heaven.

“Combining the Air Force and Army Preventive Medicine teams provide comprehensive coverage of JBB and creates great flexibility for the wide range of missions that we are responsible to complete,” said chief of bioenvironmental engineering, Maj. Michael Skinner, 332nd Aeromedical Squadron, deployed from Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England.

Whether it is food, water, air or virus, you can count on this team of professionals to do everything in their power to keep service members healthy throughout their stay here.

• Date Taken: 12.10.2010
• Date Posted: 12.13.2010 10:10
• Story ID: 61878
• Location: JOINT BASE BALAD, IQ