Courtesy Photo | First Lt. Jamie Mueller, 4th Special Troops Battalion, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat...... read more read more
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FORWARD OPERATING BASE SPIN BOLDAK, Afghanistan – An Albanian soldier’s life was saved at the beginning of April by a U.S. Army medical officer thanks to a medical exchange program at Forward Operating Base Spin Boldak, Afghanistan.
During a routine procedure, 1st Lt. Jamie Mueller, physician assistant, 4th Special Troops Battalion, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, noticed a troubling growth on her patient’s back. After consulting with Maj. Michael Rossi, professional filler system doctor, 4th STB, 4th IBCT, 4th Inf. Div., as well as physicians throughout Afghanistan and Germany, it was determined the soldier had cancer and needed immediate surgery.
Rossi credits Mueller’s professionalism and competence as the catalyst for getting the soldier the care he needed.
“She was able to gain their confidence; as a result they were able to find the cancer,” said Rossi.
That confidence was gained through Mueller’s hard work, according to Rossi. When Mueller arrived at Spin Boldak in February there was a 12-foot wall that separated the coalition forces. Typically physician assistants work directly with a supervising doctor, however, she found herself as the only medical professional at the FOB’s clinic. Shortly after arriving at the clinic, Mueller and her team were functioning at a high level and had begun to conduct medical exchanges with their NATO partners.
“I’m just an old medic that went to [medical] school, she’s the one that makes things happen,” said Rossi. “Before she got here the Albanians were on one FOB and we were on another.”
Within weeks of beginning the medical exchanges, the U.S. and Albanian forces were regularly eating meals together in the American dining facility. Rossi said the crowd at meal time is getting bigger and bigger as the partnership grows.
Mueller said she enjoys working with people from other countries and learning about their cultures. Being deployed gives her that chance.
“(On a previous deployment) I worked with locals in the Philippines. I love seeing where they come from and what they are like,” said Mueller.
Her attitude and experience were immediately put into action when she arrived to Spin Boldak. Mueller did not hesitate to seek out treatment for her patient regardless of his nationality or the process that it would require.
“The goal was to get him what he needed,” said Mueller. “He’s a (coalition) soldier regardless of what country he is from.”
Mueller, a Forest Lake, Minn., native, already had a master’s degree in exercise science when she began her Army career. In her first assignment at 1st Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C., she served as an intelligence analyst. After her initial service commitment, she decided she wanted to return to the medical field.
“I joined the Army to do something different. I liked [intelligence] but wanted to do something with medicine,” said Mueller.
She completed the Interservice Physician Assistant Program in October 2013 and deployed with 4th IBCT, 4th Inf. Div. in February. She said she wanted to make an impact on Soldiers, what she did not know was that the Soldiers may not even wear the same uniform.
“Whether it’s treating us or the Albanians or an Afghan (mass casualty) she does a great job down here,” said Lt. Col. Neil Doherty, commander, 4th STB, 4th IBCT.
| Date Taken: | 05.05.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 05.05.2014 10:27 |
| Story ID: | 128731 |
| Location: | FORWARD OPERATING BASE SPIN BOLDAK, AF |
| Hometown: | FOREST LAKE, MINNESOTA, US |
| Web Views: | 886 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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