TOWN OF HAYNEVILLE 2011

HAYNEVILLE, Ala. -- Master Sgt. Jessica Alvarez, a medical technician with the Alaska Air National Guard's 176th Medical Group, measures the blood pressure of an area resident at a free medical clinic here May 3, 2011. Twenty-five members of the medical group (together with 10 support personnel from other Alaska Air Guard units) arrived here May 1 for 12 days of training through the Innovative Readiness Program. This program allows Guard and Reserve members to get the training they need while at the same time delivering real-world results -- in this case, providing an array of health-care services to a historically underserved area. Alaska Air National Guard photo by Capt. John Callahan.

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TOWN OF HAYNEVILLE 2011

HAYNEVILLE, Ala. -- Master Sgt. Jessica Alvarez, a medical technician with the Alaska Air National Guard's 176th Medical Group, assists an area resident with a vision test at a free medical clinic here May 3, 2011. Twenty-five members of the medical group (together with 10 support personnel from other Alaska Air Guard units) arrived here May 1 for 12 days of training through the Innovative Readiness Program. This program allows Guard and Reserve members to get the training they need while at the same time delivering real-world results -- in this case, providing an array of health-care services to a historically underserved area. Alaska Air National Guard photo by Capt. John Callahan.

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TOWN OF HAYNEVILLE 2011

HAYNEVILLE, Ala. -- A young Hayneville resident watchs Master Sgt. Jessica Alvarez take his mother's temperature at a free medical clinic here May 3, 2011. Twenty-five members of the medical group (together with 10 support personnel from other Alaska Air Guard units) arrived here May 1 for 12 days of training through the Innovative Readiness Program. This program allows Guard and Reserve members to get the training they need while at the same time delivering real-world results -- in this case, providing an array of health-care services to a historically underserved area. Alaska Air National Guard photo by Capt. John Callahan.

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TOWN OF HAYNEVILLE 2011

HAYNEVILLE, Ala. -- Master Sgt. Jessica Alvarez, a medical technician with the Alaska Air National Guard's 176th Medical Group, uses an iPhone and a steady hand to take a patient's pulse at a free medical clinic here May 3, 2011. Twenty-five members of the medical group (together with 10 support personnel from other Alaska Air Guard units) arrived here May 1 for 12 days of training through the Innovative Readiness Program. This program allows Guard and Reserve members to get the training they need while at the same time delivering real-world results -- in this case, providing an array of health-care services to a historically underserved area. Alaska Air National Guard photo by Capt. John Callahan.

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TOWN OF HAYNEVILLE 2011

HAYNEVILLE, Ala. -- Navy Capt. Stephen Bailey, a dentist with the Operational Support Office in Portsmouth, Va., conducts a dental exam at a free medical clinic here May 3, 2011. Twenty-five members of the medical group (together with 10 support personnel from other Alaska Air Guard units) arrived here May 1 for 12 days of training through the Innovative Readiness Program. This program allows Guard and Reserve members to get the training they need while at the same time delivering real-world results -- in this case, providing an array of health-care services to a historically underserved area. Alaska Air National Guard photo by Capt. John Callahan.

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TOWN OF HAYNEVILLE 2011

HAYNEVILLE, Ala. -- Tech. Sgt. Amanda Boswell, a medical technician with the Alaska Air National Guard's 176th Medical Group, guides a patient through vision screening at a free medical clinic here May 3, 2011. Twenty-five members of the medical group (together with 10 support personnel from other Alaska Air Guard units) arrived here May 1 for 12 days of training through the Innovative Readiness Program. This program allows Guard and Reserve members to get the training they need while at the same time delivering real-world results -- in this case, providing an array of health-care services to a historically underserved area. Alaska Air National Guard photo by Capt. John Callahan.

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Deployed medical group members see huge demand for services

Published May 4, 2011
By Capt. John Callahan
176th Wing Public Affairs

HAYNEVILLE, Ala. -- When the 35 deployed members of the 176th Medical Group threw open the doors to their free clinic here May, 4, they were greeted by more than 30 people waiting to get in -- some who had even slept in their cars to ensure they were among the first in line.

Mid-way through the second day, final numbers for the first day still remained to be finalized. Unofficially, clinic members estimated that they had screened about 200 area residents.

The Alaska Air Guard members are here as part of operation TOWN OF HAYNEVILLE 2011, a joint-services mission performed under the auspices of the Innovative Readiness Team program. This program, run by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, brings Guard and Reserve medical personnel from around the country together to train in real-world scenarios -- in this case, hosting a free medical, dental and vision clinic in a historically underserved rural area.

"We were expecting a high level of interest -- mayby 100 to 120 the first day -- so this was even a little higher than we anticipated," said Lt. Col. Steven D. Hall, the medical group's clinic administrator.

Hall said that the clinic's optometry and dental services drew the most demand. Throughout the day, the clinic's three optometrists -- including Lt. Col. Ron Kichura and Capt. Andrew Adamich from the 176th Medical Group; and a Naval Reserve officer, Lt. Commander Patricia Anderson, with the Orlando, Fla.-based Volunteer Training Unit -- worked at a furious pace to accomodate as many patients as possible. That pace lasted right up to the end of the day, Hall said.

"Quite a few folks came in late, but we didn't turn anyone away -- we just had them make appointments, and rescheduled them for later in the week," he said.

Meanwhile, the dental team improvised to overcome equipment shortfalls, making patients comfortable in lawn chairs propped up on a bed of wooden pallets. Hall said the bulk of the dental work consisted of exams, with the dentists taking appointments for more serious work, and a few procedures taking place on the spot when dentists determined that the work couldn't wait.

The joint-services effort will continue to see patients until May 10; the forces are scheduled to return home May 12.