Photo By Sgt. Marty Borton | U.S. Reserve Soldier Sgt. Jason Lackey, 44th Medical Detachment Veterinarian...... read more read more
FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, Calif., June 20, 2016 – U.S. Army Reserve Veterinarian Food Inspection Specialists, 445th Medical Detachment Veterinarian Specialists (MDVS), Independence, Missouri, and the 993rd MDVS, Aurora, Colorado, received hands-on instruction and experience with large-animal veterinary services at Patterson Ranch, Lockwood, California, on June 20, 2016, during Combat Support Training Exercise (CSTX) 91-16-02, Fort Hunter Liggett, California.
As the largest U.S Army Reserve training exercise, CSTX 91-16-02 provides Soldiers with the unique opportunities to sharpen their technical and tactical skills in combat-like conditions. This includes Veterinary Food Inspection Specialists who inspect all aspects of food production to make sure it is safe for human consumption, as well as Animal Care Specialists who deal with the health and welfare of animals. The 445th and 993rd MDVS units wanted quality, impactful training for their Soldiers, so they reached out to the local community and found ranchers with whom to collaborate.
“This is our second ranch visit,” said Maj. Ellen Ratcliff, veterinarian and officer in charge, 445th MDVS. “Yesterday we went out to another farm and assisted the farmer with checking his animals for pregnancy.”
While deployed, animal care specialists assist host nation farmers and ranchers with proper procedures when it comes to the welfare of their animals. This includes vaccinating the animals, ensuring they are eating a healthy diet, and how to spot signs of disease. Without knowing the warning signs, sick live stock could severely impact the local human population.
“We visited a local meat production facility a couple days ago,” said Ratcliff. “And when you see 6,000 square feet of beef carcasses hanging up, you realize how important it is that Soldiers see how a cow gets turned into sides of beef.”
Soldiers took this opportunity to learn about the process of caring for animals and to see where their food comes from. This is especially relevant to the veterinary food inspection specialists, as they are tasked with actually inspecting any red meat, dairy, eggs, poultry products and more. Their primary goal, all the way from production to packaging, is to ensure that these products are safe for Soldiers and civilian populations to consume and they evaluate businesses to ensuring they follow the correct guidelines for safety, sanitation, humane treatment of the animals, and proper packaging.
While animal care specialists and veterinary food inspection specialists missions differ, they attend training together to learn how each specialty performs their jobs. Replicating real-world scenarios and environments is one way that U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers prepare themselves for deployments. With the assistance of local communities in the U.S. and abroad, these Soldiers are able to better the lives of animals and the people who interact with them and depend on them.
| Date Taken: | 06.20.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 06.22.2016 17:17 |
| Story ID: | 202156 |
| Location: | FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 140 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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