Subscribe
Thirty-six Arkansas National Guardsmen from the 188th Wing at Ebbing Air National Guard base in Fort Smith, Ark., and 189th Airlift Wing at Little Rock Air Force Base in Jacksonville, Ark., departed Dec. 1 for a seven-day mission providing free-of-charge medical care in Guatemala City.
“We are delighted to contribute to our state partnership with Guatemala by providing essential support and free medical care alongside Guatemalan physicians to help those in need.” Col. Thomas DeGraff, commander of the 189th Medical Operations Squadron.
The Airmen expect to treat anywhere from 200-500 people per day, providing dental, optometry, family medicine, and orthopedic care at a hospital in Guatemala City. Additionally, a public health officer will be providing fetal health protection education to locals.
The State Partnership Program is administered by the National Guard Bureau and guided by State Department foreign policy goals. The program has 88 partnerships with 100 partner nations around the globe.
Through SPP, the National Guard conducts military-to-military engagements in support of defense security goals but also leverages whole-of-society relationships and capabilities to facilitate broader interagency and corollary engagements spanning military, government, economic and social spheres.
Arkansas and Guatemala were paired in 2002 and have enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship in their 20-30 military-to-military exchanges each year.
| Date Taken: | 12.04.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 12.04.2023 15:20 |
| Story ID: | 459078 |
| Location: | NORTH LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS, US |
| Web Views: | 95 |
| Downloads: | 3 |
This work, Arkansas ANG medics depart for Guatemala, by John Oldham, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
