Photo By Capt. Robert Gallimore | Spc. Henry Blair of the 64th Medical Detachment (Veterinary Service Support) monitors...... read more read more
By Maj. Jodi Sangster
64th Medical Detachment (Veterinary Service Support)
BAUMHOLDER, Germany - On Feb. 27, 2015, service members from the 64th Medical Detachment, based in Baumholder, Germany, began a partnership with Public Health Command District Northern Europe to provide veterinary clinical and technical support to operations at Dog Center Europe, the flagship veterinary facility of the district, at Pulaski Barracks.
The 64th Medical Detachment deployed to Afghanistan from October 2013 through July 2014. During this time, they were responsible for the medical care of all military working dogs and contract working dogs in the country. The veterinarians and animal care specialists experienced a high operational tempo and a busy caseload during the deployment, requiring excellent communication and clinical skills to save lives during numerous canine emergencies.
Prior to this recent deployment, various teams of the 64th Medical Detachment were spread throughout Germany, overlapping geographically with various veterinary treatment facilities run by Public Health Command. Under this arrangement, veterinarians and animal care specialists maintained their clinical skills by augmenting Public Health Command personnel in the clinics as their schedules allowed. This informal arrangement occasionally led to scheduling trouble when 64th personnel were given last-minute taskings, which resulted in cancelled clinic shifts. The 64th consolidated to Baumholder in preparation for their most recent deployment, removing the opportunity for countrywide cooperation with Public Health Command.
Since their return in July, the veterinarians and animal care specialists of the 64th have had no opportunities to interact with patients. “It is such a difficult thing watching your hard earned skills and knowledge stagnate,” said Capt. Kerrie Farrar, a veterinarian of the 64th Medical Detatchment. In addition, the more experienced animal care specialists have moved on to other duty sites, and new Advanced Individual Training graduates have replaced them.
In order to solve this problem, Col. R. Scott Dingle, commander, 30th Medical Brigade, and Col. James W. Boles, Commander, Public Health Command Region Europe, signed a memorandum of understanding in February 2015 which established a formal relationship between the two entities. This agreement ensured that veterinarians and animal care specialists would be able to maintain their clinical skills during scheduled shifts at Dog Center Europe, In addition, Public Health Command would be able to rely on the presence of these individuals, as the MOU prohibits them from being assigned to other duties once scheduled in clinics.
“This agreement is beneficial to both sides,” said Maj. Jodi Sangster, the veterinary clinical specialist assigned to the 64th Medical Detachment. “Our veterinarians and technicians who deployed are now able to maintain their hard-won clinical expertise, and our newer technicians are able to hone their military occupational specialty, or MOS, skills in a clinical environment. In addition, once our people are fully trained in the new medical record system, our presence will allow Dog Center Europe to increase the available number of appointments for pet owners.”
Members of the 64th Medical Detachment appreciate the benefits of the new arrangement. “Being back in clinics provides us the opportunity to develop ourselves as veterinarians so that we can be at the top of our game for the medical care of working dogs when we deploy again, said Farrar.”
“I feel much more purposeful and engaged in my MOS now that we are back in the clinic,” said Spc. Robyn Rothwell, an animal care specialist “I enjoy all of the learning opportunities and motiviation that I get from Dog Center Europe through both the staff and the clients.”
Veterinarians and animal care specialists of the 64th Medical Detachment have initially been shadowing their Public Health Command counterparts in order to master the new veterinary online medical record system which was implemented during their deployment. During the next few months they will transition to fully functioning team members at Dog Center Europe along with their field training exercises and other deployment readiness activities.
| Date Taken: | 04.01.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 05.01.2015 08:25 |
| Story ID: | 161888 |
| Location: | BAUMHOLDER, RHEINLAND-PFALZ, DE |
| Web Views: | 353 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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