HAYTI, Mo. - Heartfelt gratitude and smiles achieve visible results during the continued Innovative Readiness Training medical mission that kicked of the beginning of August in parts of the upper Mississippi River region of the Midwest involving medical and civil affairs soldiers.
This event facilitated under the Delta Regional Authority has been dubbed the Healthy Delta Initiative.
Hayti, Mo., one of the cities where this event was held, brought out grateful citizens that benefited from the real-world training exercise.
At a time when the economy, under-insured citizens, and budget concerns face the political forefront of the nation, citizens of Hayti are just an example of what IRT training can bring to a community.
“I think this is great, and I feel blessed that we came,” said Nancy Robbins, a Hayti resident.
Nancy attended the clinic for the first time to take advantage of the vision screenings that were being done.
Where single parenting and low-income stricken areas are common in Hayti, not having insurance is not that uncommon said one Hayti resident.
Pfc. Rebekah Munday, part of the 431st Civil Affairs Battalion detachment team assigned to Hayti, explained her team’s involvement at the medical clinic.
Our team was assigned here to help act as a liaison between the military medical support units, local government and citizens, said Munday - in short making sure information about the clinic and services provided reached the community.
In such a small community, residents could not help but wonder exactly what all this attention meant for their area.
Ingram Robinson, a friend of Nancy Robins, warmed up to the hope and idea of a military presence bringing a much needed humanitarian effort to the area.
As Robinson took part in a photo opportunity with her friends she asked one question with a smile and bit of excitement, “Will President Obama see this picture?”