Team provides medical care in Dominican Republic

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Chance C. Babin
  • Air Force Reserve Command Public Affairs
PUERTA PLATA, Dominican Republic (AFNS) --  A team of 39 Air Force Reserve medical specialists arrived here May 24 to take part in a medical readiness training exercise.

The MEDRETE is part of the International Healthcare Specialist mission. Air Force reservists are providing free medical care to the local population at four locations in the Puerto Plata region through June 5.

They are working alongside Dominican physicians to provide general medicine, dentistry, optometry, dermatology, pediatrics and gynecology care for patients. The team will also provide eyeglasses and medicine.

Col. Lynn McDaniels, the MEDRETE team chief, said he expects the team to treat about 1,000 patients a day.

For Dominican air force Col. Miguel Lagrange, the Dominican medical team director, the MEDRETE mission is a win-win for his team.

"We are very happy having (Airmen) here helping us," Colonel Lagrange said. "It is very important to have a mission like this. It is good experience to get in contact with other doctors from other cultures, and we are going to take advantage of that contact."

One of the physicians working in pediatrics feels very connected to this mission. Maj. (Dr.) Leonie Hanley of the 927th ASTS is from the Caribbean island of Saint Croix.

"It's a good opportunity for the Air Force to be seen not only as a show for force, but as being able to provide humanitarian care to various nations that are in need," Major Hanley said. "In the Caribbean, we are not as fortunate as some of our mainland counterparts, so it's good to be able to come down and partake in this."