Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Chlosta | (Left) U.S. Army Maj. Cory Poppe, an officer with the 2500th Digital Liaison...... read more read more
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BUJUMBURA, Burundi – Three Army Reserve Soldiers from the 7th Civil Support Command’s 2500th Digital Liaison Detachment operated as the mission command element Jan. 19-30 during a combined U.S. Army Africa/U.S. Embassy-Burundi Medical Readiness and Training Exercise in partnership with the Burundian National Defense Force.
The 2500th DLD provided command and control, logistical support, movement control and mission planning for a team of U.S. Army medical Soldiers from the William Beaumont Army Medical Center Fort Bliss, Texas.
The 2500th DLD’s role on this mission was to take care of all the movement, meals and local medical supply purchases, coordination of meals, lodging and logistics for the medical team so they could concentrate on their day to day roles at the Kamenge Military Hospital.
The 2500th DLD helped the medical personnel overcome a few logistical challenges, including delayed baggage.
“We had delayed baggage but that was easily resolved after a week,” said U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Carl Turner, the noncommissioned officer in charge of the MEDRETE 15-1, Mission Command Element from the 2500th DLD, 7th CSC and a Brooklyn, New York, native. “The medical team was missing [some] medical consumables but we had some on hand from [a] previous MEDRETE. We did cross loading of medical supplies that allowed the medical team to execute their mission despite the delayed luggage.”
This is Turner’s third MEDRETE. He also participated in MEDRETE events in Benin and the Congo in 2013.
The U.S. military medical practitioners worked with and alongside BNDF doctors and medical support staff on trauma resuscitation, emergency room procedures and evaluations during MEDRETE 15-1.
“My second duty is to work as the pay agent, the typical duties of a pay agent on this mission are to provide USARAF funding once purchases are verified,” Turner said. “We spent more than $6,000 on humanitarian civil assistance funding for medical supplies.”
In his civilian capacity, Turner works as the installation anti-terrorism officer at U.S. Army Garrison Vicenza, Italy. He is also a decorated Army Soldier with a combat jump into Iraq in March 2003.
“They made our mission a lot easier by providing transportation, translators and hotel accommodations and daily situation reports,” U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Samuel Ordaz, department of nursing NCOIC, William Beaumont Army Medical Center, Fort Bliss, Texas, and San Benito, Texas, native, said. “Everything’s been running smooth. They located the missing luggage.”
This was Ordaz’s first MEDRETE.
“They supported us by helping with the hotel, lodging issues, transportation coordination and execution,” said U.S. Army Cpl. Andrew Hilton, operating room specialist, WBAMC, Fort Bliss, Texas and Payson, Utah, native. “Also, they found medical supply stores and assisted in purchasing consumable medical supplies so that we could donate them to the hospital.
Hilton said that the 2500th DLD team was very professional.
“It was good to have a familiar uniform to follow directions from,” Hilton said. “It’s very comforting to see boots on the ground, [when we arrived] even if it’s just a few.”
The director general of the BNDF Kamenge Military Hospital said MEDRETE 15-1 was a significant event for his country.
“It is very important,” he said. “It is not the first time we work with the U.S. Army. They did a very good job. I am happy for this team that came. They [the BNDF and the U.S. medical personnel] work together. The patients are happy because they did a good job and we are very grateful for that.”
The medical personnel also provided positive feedback in regards to the 2500th DLD’s MCE support which allowed the medical personnel to concentrate on their mission.
“I think they’ve [the 2500th DLD] done a really good job so far,” said U.S. Army Capt. Kathryn Muir, general surgery resident, WBAMC, Fort Bliss, Texas, and Imlay City, Michigan, native. “Every kind of obstacle that we’ve come up against they’ve found a way to work around. Everything has been much smoother with them being here. With them facilitating all the logistics, [it] makes it easier for us to do our jobs.”
Besides sending daily story boards and situation reports to USARAF, the MCE also coordinated with the U.S. Embassy-Burundi to facilitate the visit of Brig. Gen. Kenneth H. Moore Jr., deputy commanding general, USARAF and a Fort Bragg, North Carolina, native, to the MEDRETE 15-1 closing ceremony and his attendance at other USEMB-Burundi sponsored events with the Dawn M. Liberi, the U.S. ambassador to Burundi.
“The United States Army is proud to partner with the people of Burundi for this exercise,” said Moore, a resident of Southern Pines, North Carolina, at the closing ceremony. “Thank you for having us in your country. We seek to help Africans solve African problems and develop capable partners to address challenges, such as those we trained on during this exercise."
Moore concluded by emphasizing that good health and medical care is an essential part of life no matter what country or culture you’re from.
“The bottom line is: It doesn’t matter where you are from. It doesn’t matter your language or background. Basic health care is an essential part of a decent life,” Moore said. “Hopefully, we brought something to your country these last two weeks during this exercise - the exchange of ideas and expertise, friendship and a lasting relationship between our two countries.”
| Date Taken: | 01.31.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 02.05.2015 12:57 |
| Story ID: | 153644 |
| Location: | BUJUMBURA, BI |
| Hometown: | KAISERSLAUTERN, RP, DE |
| Hometown: | VICENZA, IT |
| Hometown: | BROOKLYN, NY, US |
| Hometown: | FORT BLISS, TX, US |
| Hometown: | FORT LIBERTY, NC, US |
| Hometown: | IMLAY CITY, MI, US |
| Hometown: | PAYSON, UT, US |
| Hometown: | PULASKI, VA, US |
| Hometown: | SAN BENITO, TX, US |
| Hometown: | SOUTHERN PINES, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 432 |
| Downloads: | 3 |
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