An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Reservists go to El Salvador to train, provide medical care

  • Published
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Twenty-nine Air Force reservists from here and four from other locations deployed March 4 for a two-week medical humanitarian mission to El Salvador.

The volunteers include medical doctors, nurses, pharmacists, physician assistants, optometrists, dentists, gynecologists and medical technicians. During the deployment, they will visit three schools where they will set up medical treatment centers to treat about 7,500 El Salvadorans.

All of the reservists have personal reasons for volunteering to be part of this medical humanitarian mission, but the common factor is the desire to help people who are less fortunate.

“I was really poor growing up,” said Senior Airman Kathleen Fowler, a 349th Aerospace Medicine Squadron dental assistant from Woodland, Calif. “I was probably eight or nine before I saw a dentist, so I can kind of relate and I want to be able to help people who are less fortunate.”

Her unit is taking part in a larger program called a medical readiness training exercise that provides medical aid to Central America, South America and Haiti. Members of the 349th AMDS volunteered for the MEDRETE in July and have spent the past eight months preparing.

After arriving at the first schoolhouse, the team treated more than 400 patients on March 6 and 900 more the next day.

“It’s obviously needed greatly by the people of El Salvador,” said Col. Ron Rondeau, MEDRETE troop commander, commenting on the care his people are providing.

Colonel Rondeau said his people benefit from the training they receive during the deployment and from the care they provide to people in need.

“It’s especially a great experience for young people,” he said. “It gives them an opportunity to see how good they’ve got it.”

The American MEDRETE team is not doing this mission alone. El Salvadoran soldiers, local doctors and care providers are working with the team to make this mission a success.

Without the inter-country cooperation and warm welcome from the El Salvadoran people, this humanitarian effort would not be possible, according Lt. Col. Jose Rivas, commander of the El Salvadoran troops.

“Our people are satisfied with the 349th’s work,” he said “We can see the Americans sacrifice their profession because they come from far away and give us their help. Their families are alone this month. We appreciate their help.” (AFRC News Service from a 349th Air Mobility Wing news release)