PETERSON SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. -- More than 40 people from 15 units across three U.S. military service branches participated in a campaign to augment health services in multiple locations across El Salvador Aug. 19 to Sept. 6.
Service members supported the AMISTAD campaign by integrating with existing El Salvadoran Ministry of Health providers and exchanging knowledge with Salvadoran healthcare professionals while promoting the health and well-being of their nation’s citizens.
“Our purpose here was to deploy medical assistance teams to increase the medical readiness of U.S. forces and strengthen U.S. relationships in El Salvador,” said Maj. Anthony Boudreau, a nurse with the 302nd Aeromedical Staging Squadron, Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, and mission commander for the campaign. “We wanted to exchange knowledge with one another and increase our interoperability with our partner nation.”
During the campaign, U.S. forces from nine medical specialties accomplished more than 1,500 patient actions and delivered medical supplies to a host of medical facilities. They also delivered equipment and infusion pumps designed to combat the spread of Dengue, a viral infection that spreads through mosquito bites.
Along with providing real-world patient care, knowledge-exchange events were planned so nurses and practitioners from both nations could share best practices in their respective fields.
U.S. servicemembers conducted Advanced Trauma Life Support courses as well as Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics training.
The trauma course, led by Lt. Col. (Dr.) Andrea Blake, 302nd ASTS trauma surgeon, provided attendees with an approach to manage multiple-injured patients by quickly assessing their conditions, stabilizing them and preparing them for transport to elevated levels of care. Army Lt. Col. Adriane Bell, Womack Army Medical Center family medicine faculty, led the obstetrics course, which educated participants on various methods of delivering a newborn when complications arise during childbirth. The training included hands-on training using mannequins.
Capt. Diana Trang, 60th Medical Group family medicine faculty, led a training course demonstrating the utility of point-of-care ultrasound technology. Nurses and doctors listened to a classroom training section before training on each other using ultrasound gel and mobile hospital beds.
Chief Master Sgt. Joseph Kim, 302nd Aerospace Staging Squadron senior air reserve technician and director of operations for the mission, addressed a large portion of the team on their final day supporting the AMISTAD campaign.
“All of you made this a successful mission, and you have our deepest gratitude,” he said. “The beauty of U.S. military members is that we can come together from various backgrounds to be a team that will give it all they have to accomplish the mission. You helped local communities and please know that you made a difference to the beautiful country of El Salvador.”