Photo By Tech. Sgt. Phillip Butterfield | Tocache, Guatemala—U.S. Army Capt. John Curtin, (Left) 480th Medical Detachment...... read more read more
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April 27, 2016 U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Bryan Hafenstein, 377th Engineer Company quality assurance inspector, reported encountering a venomous Coral snake moving toward the Tocache work site.
The report sent a wave of concern across the command, which set a soldier with a special set of skills into action. This soldier was U.S. Army Capt. John Curtin, 480th Medical Detachment environmental science officer. Armed with his extensive knowledge of the local flora and fona of Guatemala, he set out to the affected area. After arriving he, dawned his gloves, appropriated the correct length of stick and started his search.
After approximately an hour and a half of brush beating and hole probing the intrepid explorer came up empty handed. However, before he departed he left explicit directions not to approach, handle or kill the serpent because, the snake was a part of nature and can be dealt with in other means.
The above dramatic narration of an actual event may seem amusing. However, the servicemembers of Exercise BEYOND THE HORIZON 2016 GUATEMALA that are providing humanitarian civic assistance to the people here are doing so in the home of 29 different types of venomous animals. It is up to servicemembers like Curtin to ensure the safety of more than 1000 members.
He accomplishes this task via briefings and dissemination of information to the total force. Through his vigilance only two servicemembers have sustained bee stings in more than 42 days of being on the job. This equates to a 99.98 percent success rate.
“Ensuring the safety and well-being of the servicemembers is secondary,” said Curtin. “This is my passion and it’s a duty that I love and that I’m willing to take on every time.”
| Date Taken: | 04.29.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 04.29.2016 21:28 |
| Story ID: | 196969 |
| Location: | GT |
| Web Views: | 221 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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