Alaska National Guardsmen conduct medical exercise at Khaan Quest 2011

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  • By Sgt. Edward Eagerton
  • 134th Public Affairs Detachment
ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia --  Members of the Alaska National Guard participated in a medical readiness training exercise designed to test a combined medical team's ability to provide basic medical care in a remote location with limited resources during Khaan Quest 2011 in the outskirts of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

Khaan Quest 2011 is a multi-national peace operations exercise which consists of five activities conducted in Mongolia.

These activities include a U.N. peacekeeping seminar, command post exercise, field training exercise, humanitarian civic activity and a medical readiness training exercise.
Outside a two-story cinderblock school on a dirt field, on the outskirts of Ulaanbaatar, nearly 1,000 Mongolians lined up to receive free medical care from the multi-national medical team.

The combined medical team, consisting of approximately 15 Alaska National Guardsmen, as well as members of the U.S. Marines, Mongolian Armed Forces and other participating countries, were ready with an array of services.

"We have a team of doctors, nurses, medics and dentists here to provide whatever we can to the local community for whatever they need," said Army Lt. Col. Rebecca Young, executive officer, Medical Detachment, Alaska Army National Guard. "The different services being offered to the local community include dental, optometric, neurological, pediatric and gynecological care."

The multi-national task force reported that they saw, on average, close to 1,000 patients a day. However, there were still several patients waiting at the end of the day who had to return the next morning for care.

"This is an area that has had no access to medical care," said Air Force Lt. Col. John Boston, of Wasilla, Alaska, and officer in charge of the joint operation, 176th Medical Group, Alaska Air National Guard. "This particular area was chosen because there's an engineering group that is adding an addition to a local medical clinic, so it's been out of commission for the last three months."

Not only did the medical exercise help out the locals, it also provided a benefit to participating units in teaching them how to conduct medical missions in remote locations with limited resources.

"It gives us the real-world experience of going to a remote location," Boston said. "What things do we need to have? What types of tools do we need to bring? You can't just run to the store. If you don't have it, you do without."

Many of the locals had never had specialized healthcare available to them before. In one account, a child from the local community had teeth that were almost completely rotted. In another, a woman rode two days on a camel with her newborn child just to have the chance to have her child seen by western doctors.

"We have the opportunity to make a significant impact on kids who otherwise would never have this kind of opportunity," said Air Force Capt. Andrew Adamich, 176th Medical Group, Alaska Air National Guard.

For the conditions that the medical team members cannot treat themselves, they are making crucial connections between patients and other resources.

In one instance, a girl, at the age of 14 years, was diagnosed with a terminal heart condition. Without proper treatment, she was given just 18 months to live. The medical team managed to connect with the Rotary Club, a humanitarian organization whose purpose is to promote a higher quality of life to those in need, despite race, religion, or nationality. Through the Rotary Club, they were able to get the girl scheduled for the treatment she would need to save her life.

"To come here where people don't have running water and don't have electricity, and to see how joyful they are for the opportunity to receive this kind of care, it's very humbling," Boston said. "Even if they have to spend hours in line, they're more than happy to wait all day for us, and they are so grateful. It fills us with a lot of hope that we can make a difference."