Photo By Staff Sgt. Adriana Barrientos | The U.S. Air Force St. Vincent Lesser Antilles Medical Assistance Team (LAMAT) poses...... read more read more
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines — Thirty-one Reserve Citizen Airmen from the 433rd Aerospace Medicine Squadron (AMDS) and 433rd Airlift Wing, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, supported the Air Forces Southern (AFSOUTH) Lesser Antilles Medical Assistance Team (LAMAT) 2025 mission in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, March 10-21, 2025.
As part of ongoing global health engagements, AFSOUTH partnered with medical teams from the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) to conduct routine training missions aimed at enhancing medical readiness and strengthening relationships with regional partners. Airmen specializing in family medicine, emergency medicine, dental care, ophthalmology, laboratory services and medical technician support worked alongside Saint Vincent healthcare professionals to expand clinical capabilities at Milton Cato Memorial Hospital in Kingstown and the Modern Medical and Diagnostic Center in Georgetown, Saint Vincent.
"Our Airmen are going to partner with all of the amazing people in Saint Vincent and generate experience, share knowledge and gain friendships and relationships that will last a lifetime." said U.S. Air Force Col. James Bershinsky, 433rd AW Medical Group commander.
Over two weeks, Airmen treated more than 1,100 patients, performed 36 surgical operations, and repaired 46 pieces of medical equipment. The mission provided over 3,000 hours of hands-on training in critical pre-deployment medical skills for U.S. medics. The exchange also included collaborative efforts in laboratory operations, quality control practices, and multiple knowledge-sharing engagements that strengthened the deployment readiness of Reserve Citizen Airmen by providing real-world experience in cross-functional healthcare environments.
"Being able to share knowledge that we have learned in the U.S. with the locals is twofold,” said U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Chante Richardson, 433rd AMDS senior enlisted leader. “We have a lot of advancement and technology in the United States, and we have either forgotten or never had to learn the old way of doing things without it. This experience has refreshed many of us, even taught us that we can do some of the same procedures, tests, assessments using pen and paper. It’s building resiliency and strengthening those relationships across the board.”
As a Total Force effort, AFRC Airmen worked seamlessly alongside active-duty personnel, playing a key role in the first-ever mobile dental unit visit to Canouan and Union Island, providing essential oral health services to a community with limited access to dental care. The integration of mobile medical equipment ensured over 250 dental visits between the two remote islands. Services such as teeth cleanings, extractions, and dental hygiene education were delivered efficiently to residents.
“We’re gaining real world experience in dealing with challenges and adapting to be very productive with the limitations that we face on an island,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Michael Bates, 433rd AMDS dentist. “Which I think we have been successful with.”
Near the end of this global health engagement, the 433rd AMDS participated in a health fair, providing essential medical services to more than 500 residents over two days. They offered blood pressure and blood sugar screenings, physician consultations, first aid education, CPR demonstrations, oral hygiene education, and vision assessments. They also trained Saint Vincent healthcare hospital staff in Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC), equipping them with life-saving techniques to enhance their trauma response capabilities. The training aligns with LAMAT’s broader mission of enhancing military readiness and enhancing relationships.
LAMAT emphasizes training in a different environment allowing Reserve Citizen Airmen to adapt to unique challenges, think critically, and apply their expertise in resource-limited settings.
"We've been working to facilitate relationships here, learning how [the Saint Vincent hospital staff] operate with diminished supplies and in the environment they do,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Monique Downs, 433rd AMDS medical technician. “I’ve never seen a setting like this before, but I think it will better prepare me for the future to try to be creative with the way we treat patients and approach medicine."
These real-world engagements allowed medical personnel to sharpen clinical skills in diagnostic services, patient care, and interagency coordination, all of which are critical competencies for supporting future global health missions and contingency operations.
“As military medical personnel, we have to be ready to deploy at a moment's notice and go anywhere that the Air Force would send us to,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Aaron Goodrich, Air Forces Southern deputy command surgeon. “LAMAT gives us a chance to practice and look at the adaptability of our teams. This mission has successfully underscored the importance of teamwork and collaboration, with participants at all levels. I hope each of you can be proud of what you accomplished and the lives you impacted.”
Through these missions, the 433rd AMDS remains dedicated to operational readiness, enhancing medical capabilities within the AFRC to ensure seamless integration and support for future engagements worldwide. Their contributions during LAMAT 25 demonstrate the commitment of the 433rd AW to sustaining a ready force, and transform the future.
| Date Taken: | 03.21.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.24.2025 20:11 |
| Story ID: | 493634 |
| Location: | VC |
| Web Views: | 115 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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