DPAA Provides Medical Care for Lao Citizens

Photo By Staff Sgt. David Owsianka | U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Michelle Hernando, DPAA independent duty medical technician, places an ultrasound part on a Lao citizen’s abdomen during a medical outreach initiative in Lao People’s Democratic Public, Oct. 8, 2023. The ultrasound provided the medical team to further examine a tumor growth on the patient to provide her with guidance on potential treatment. Since 1985, the United States and Lao governments have worked closely together to find and recover unaccounted-for personnel. There are still 288 missing personnel in Laos from the Vietnam War. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. David Owsianka)  

LAO PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC

10.25.2023

Story by Staff Sgt. David Owsianka 

Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Medical providers with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) hosted a medical outreach initiative as they conducted recovery mission operations in Lao People’s Democratic Republic between Sept. and Oct., 2023.

The medical outreach provided humanitarian assistance to approximately 200 Lao citizens. During this time, the medics delivered routine and symptomatic care for the people through interviewing them about their medical issues and conducting physical examinations.

“Providing health care for the Lao citizens throughout the mission was significant because it enabled us to build a positive relationship with our Lao counterparts,” said U.S. Army Maj. Philip Castañeda, DPAA medical outreach doctor. “They’re helping us find a missing person, and we’re trying to give back to the community by providing this service to them.”

During the recovery mission, the U.S. personnel worked side-by-side with Lao citizens in search of a missing person from the Vietnam War. Typical daily tasks consisted of using tools to excavate soil from the ground, transferring the soil in buckets to be screened in search of evidence from an aircraft crash and looking through the possible evidence to ensure the personnel are searching in the proper areas.

As the DPAA personnel worked alongside their Lao counterparts, the medics examined the locals periodically to ensure they could receive the best medical treatment possible.

“Doing this was such a rewarding experience, and it meant a lot to me to be able to support the community as we addressed illnesses and ailments,” said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Michelle Hernando, DPAA independent duty medical technician. “Many of the people we saw were so grateful for our care, and it made me very happy to help as we had the opportunity to address health care needs that many are not afforded the luxury to receive.”

The experience that the medical personnel gained from delivering the health care has enabled them to obtain new experiences and take them back to their home units.

Some of their improved proficiencies included providing tropical medicine, taking care of unique ailments that were based off the location and tropical nature of the climate, and performed an ultrasound on an individual who has a large tumor growth on their upper abdomen.

“I will definitely be able to tie my experiences from here to my instructions at my home unit,” Hernando said. “With the main focus of the program being trauma and life-saving medical skills, my students may encounter personnel who need the same or similar care and will have the opportunity to provide medical support for them.”

Supporting the local community through their basic health care capabilities allowed the medical personnel to gain insight and experiences to further their compassion for medicine and expand their overall medical knowledge.

“The biggest takeaway for me from doing this is the compassionate part of medicine,” said U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Ian Dobyne, DPAA medical technician. “Being this way is the reason that I got into health care, and helping people here brought back that spark. This was a very rewarding and unique experience as we provided medical support for those who helped us with our mission.”

• Date Taken: 10.25.2023
• Date Posted: 10.25.2023 16:45
• Story ID: 456472
• Location: LA