Photo By Master Sgt. Joseph Harwood | Members from various Ohio National Guard units, both Army and Air, participate in the...... read more read more
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MOUNT GILEAD, Ohio - Residents of Ohio can count on the Ohio National Guard to be there when they need them.
Rather in times of emergency or natural disaster, ready and trained forces will rapidly provide the citizens of Ohio assistance.
However, that is not the extent of what they can do for their communities. Health services have been given every year at no cost, regardless of income, whether or not a person has insurance, where they live in Ohio or even if they have no identification in a program called GuardCare.
Ohio residents came from all over to Morrow County Hospital, Mount Gilead, Ohio, for the GuardCare event this year held Aug. 10-11, 2013.
GuardCare is hosted each year in a different medically under-served Ohio community and services are free to all Ohio residents who attend, regardless of income.
Free services included: Physicals for kindergarten, sports and adults; infant and childhood immunizations and some for adults; hearing and vision screenings; dental screenings; HIV tests, complete bloodwork profiles (which required an 8-10 hour fast); mammograms; EKGs; and Pap tests.
Air National Guard members of the 179th Airlift Wing Medical Group assembled a team of medical professionals to join forces with the event at Morrow County Hospital.
Col. Jodi Harvey, 179th Medical Group commander, attended the event with her airmen.
“It’s an incredible opportunity for the 179th Medical Group to provide services to people that really need it in their communities as well an opportunity to train for medical readiness. We’re very happy to be a part of it.” said Col. Harvey.
Morrow County Health Department, Morrow County Hospital, and the Ohio Department of Health all helped to provide free health services for this years event in Morrow County.
Angela Smith, Morrow County Health commissioner, told the Morrow County Sentinel “What makes this program especially uncommon is that it isn’t just for the uninsured or the underprivileged,” said Smith. “In this economy, many families are putting off or doing without preventive care because they simply can’t afford it, but a simple check-up or test can save or improve their lives.”
The event gives Ohio National Guard members a training opportunity as well as chance to interact with the people of their communities. It also provides an opportunity for Army National Guard to work side by side with Air National Guard. Together they bring a talented group of medical professionals and experienced doctors.
“The event is free because the Ohio National Guard, assisted by the staffs of the Morrow County Health Department, Morrow County Hospital, Morrow County Medical Reserve Corps, and the Ohio Department of Health have stepped up to provide a literal army of medical personnel to provide these services at their own cost,” said Smith.
The Ohio National Guard initiated the GuardCare program in 1995 after Congress authorized the use of military personnel in medically under-served communities as part of the Department of Defense’s Innovative Readiness Training program.
| Date Taken: | 08.11.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 08.14.2013 15:56 |
| Story ID: | 111961 |
| Location: | MOUNT GILEAD, OHIO, US |
| Web Views: | 294 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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