Soldier support Afghan evacuees at urgent care facility

Photo By Staff Sgt. Christina Westover | Spc. Madison Bland, a combat medic with 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, tests a diabetic patients’ blood sugar level in order to administer the correct amount of insulin at the urgent care clinic at Fort Bliss’ Doña Ana Complex in New Mexico, Sept. 13, 2021. Bland is supporting Operation Allies Welcome by providing medical care to Afghan evacuees. The Department of Defense, through U.S. Northern Command, and in support of the Department of Homeland Security, is providing transportation, temporary housing, medical screening, and general support for at least 50,000 Afghan evacuees at suitable facilities, in permanent or temporary structures, as quickly as possible. This initiative provides Afghan personnel essential support at secure locations outside Afghanistan. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Christina Westover, 24th Theater Public Affairs Support Element)  

FORT BLISS, TX, UNITED STATES

09.13.2021

Story by Sgt. Christina Westover 

Operation Allies Welcome - Operation Allies Refuge   

Support for Afghan evacuees at Fort Bliss’ Doña Ana complex in New Mexico requires a multi-agency effort. Medical care at the complex is no different. Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division work alongside civilian contractors to provide urgent care 24 hours a day.

The urgent care facility is a walk-in clinic that treats patients who need care immediately, but do not have a life-threatening emergency. The team of medics assigned to the clinic is also responsible for restocking medical supplies, daily checks of the equipment, and escorting the Afghan evacuees to the El Paso University Medical Center for follow-on care.

“We are their first line before they go to the hospital,” said Spc. Madison Bland, a combat medic assigned to the urgent care center as part of Operation Allies Welcome. “We can essentially care for patients as far as hemorrhaging, airway, breathing, and circulation - the basic healthcare that one might need in place of or before transport to a higher care facility.”

While there are smaller male and female clinics available throughout the site for simple screenings, the urgent care clinic is able to treat many of the chronic and acute medical illnesses that require escalation of care.

“My favorite part is that I am able to teach patients about hygiene and basic healthcare,” said Sgt. Jason Jackson, a combat medic working at the urgent care center. “Some of the issues that we see are preventable and can be avoided with the proper education and resources. It’s been my favorite thing because they're learning something new and I get to teach them something and have that chance to interact.”

Sgt. Jackson uses his initial evaluation time to discuss with the patient how to treat injuries or illnesses they currently have, but also to explain how to prevent the same issue from happening again.

Jackson and Bland are combat medics and typically treat battlefield wounds, but during Operation Allies Welcome, their unit is focused on humanitarian assistance for basic medical needs, allowing the troops to put their emergency medical technician licenses to good use.

“I think it's a great group of people that we work with,” said Jackson. “It's a breath of fresh air. Coming here, interacting with the civilian medical professionals, getting some education on medical training and cross-training with the different departments here is one of the highlights of this mission.”

• Date Taken: 09.13.2021
• Date Posted: 09.14.2021 17:08
• Story ID: 405137
• Location: FORT BLISS, TX, US
• Hometown: HIGHLAND, NY, US
• Hometown: SHERIDAN, WY, US