News

Reservists join Arctic Care operation in Alaska

  • Published
  • By Sandra Pishner
  • 446th Airlift Wing
JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. --  A team of Reservists from Joint Base Lewis-McChord is preparing to embark on a two-week mission to Alaska this month.

Elements of the 446th Airlift Wing will send a team to one of the most isolated areas of the country, with some of the harshest weather in the U.S., April 10 through 24 in a real-world operation called "Operation Arctic Care."

A team of logistics professionals and a pharmacy technician will join teams from the Air Force, Army and Navy, including Reserve, Guard and active-duty units, converging on 11 different remote villages near Kotzebue, Alaska. The Air Force Reserve Command will be leading the operation this year.

Tech. Sgt. Curtis Watson, a pharmacy technician with the 446th Aeromedical Staging Squadron, will provide support at the Ambler site. Senior Master Sgt. Margaret Anderson, 446th Logistics Readiness Flight, will lead a logistics team of eight airmen to help support the operation.

With no vehicle access to the sites, the teams will be airlifted in by Army Blackhawk helicopters. The Joint Base Lewis-McChord team will join military medical professionals from 30 states in what has become the largest recurring joint military medical and logistics training exercise of its kind, while providing real-world humanitarian assistance and medical care.

"This is truly a win-win opportunity for both the military and Alaska residents," said Col. Christine Barber, project manager for this year's operation. "Arctic Care helps simulate preparing and conducting medical outreach operations in the time of crisis, conflict or disaster, while at the same time filling a vital need for U.S. citizens. Our teams will be seeing patients who have to wait year-to-year to get even the most basic of medical care, such as dental check-up and eye exams."

This year's operation marks the 16th year military medical teams have converged on remote areas of Alaska to treat general health patients, in addition to providing dental care, eye exams and veterinary procedures.