407th ECES brings boxes together, expands clinic

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Paul Dean
  • 407th Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs
ALI BASE, Iraq (AFPN) --  The magazine selection has not changed, but everything else about the 777th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron medical clinic here has.

Fifteen Airmen from several occupational specialties came together recently to double the clinic’s work space. Patients now have more privacy during screenings and treatment, a clinic waiting area and the six-person clinic staff is not tripping over each other during sick call.

“It was a truly amazing effort,” said Lt. Col. (Dr.) Anthony Ghim, a 777th EAS flight surgeon deployed from Ramstein Air Base, Germany. “Civil engineering carpenters, electricians, air conditioner technicians, heavy equipment operators and communications technicians all came together to make this happen.”

Before Sept. 29, the clinic was housed in one expandable storage container, and there was an adjacent container for supplies. The two are now attached and the original storage container is used as the administrative and waiting room. The newly acquired space is dedicated to patient evaluation and treatment.

The expanded size of the clinic has improved the way service is given, said Senior Airman Dora Sherrill, a 777th EAS clinic medical technician deployed from the Tennessee Air National Guard’s 118th Medical Squadron.

The improved clinic has crafted smoother patient flow, sped up outprocessing appointments and better organized daily sick call.

“Patients have remarked, 'Wow,'” said Capt. Tony Martin, an orthopedic physician assistant deployed from the Pennsylvania ANG’s 111th Fighter Wing. “If (patients and Airmen outprocessing) had been here before and seen what it was like, they’re amazed to see the change. I tell them that it was all done so that we can serve them better.”

Added privacy seems to be the most welcomed feature of the expansion, according to the clinic staff. The clinic treats a broad range of patients including Iraqi Airmen who live, work and train here.

“Iraqi’s are customarily perhaps a little more modest (than Americans),” Dr. Ghim said. Therefore, the added privacy is more comfortable for caregivers and patients.

The expansion project involved the combined efforts of four groups within the civil engineer squadron here: heavy equipment, structures, electrical and heating, and ventilation and air conditioning.

“We brought the heavy equipment guys, electricians and some structures guys to take care of the walkways and HVAC,” said Tech. Sgt. Don Lucy,a 407th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron HVAC journeyman deployed from Travis Air Force Base, Calif. “We all worked together and everything went real smooth.”

“(The people in my shop) hit the ground running and have been a cohesive team from the start,” Sergeant Lucy said.

Master Sgt. John Gaskill, NCOIC of the 407th ECES electrical systems shop, who is also deployed from Travis, coordinated and planned the civil engineer involvement in the project, which he said totaled about 100 man-hours.

“We had a little powwow, made sure everybody knew their part and went to town,” Sergeant Gaskill said. “It’s really great what a bunch of CEs can get done. We’re just thrilled that we could be a part of making medical service better for everybody here.”

The added room came none too soon, Captain Martin said.

The clinic staff will soon be responsible for administering the post-deployment health assessment to redeploying Airmen, and now they have space to accommodate the five computers used to take the online survey.

In less than an afternoon of work, the task was complete. Ali Base has a bigger clinic; the civil engineers are proud to have played the role of facilitator; and the medical staff is ready to serve the Airmen here more efficiently and in a more comfortable setting.