AL ASAD, Iraq - -- For the past 230 years, the Marine Corps has fought wars on foreign fronts in austere environments throughout the globe. The environmental changes experienced when deployed to a new clime and place bring unknown viruses and diseases. That, combined with less than ideal sanitary conditions can create havoc on a service members well being.
Today, the Navy has preventive health professionals who make it their mission to keep Marines and all service members free from preventable disease. Preventive medicine is giving the Marines of the forward deployed 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing the best gift they can have, the gift of health.
Preventive medicine is made up of a group of sailors from different units who work together to deal with public health issues. From checking the food is stored, cooked and served safely in the dining facilities to educating Marines on the dangers of heat injuries. This small collection of sailors helps ensure the combat readiness of the fighting forces here.
“We work to keep people healthy and reduce disease and non-battle injury rates in our fighting force,” said Cmdr. Sharon Wright, the environmental health officer for the forward deployed wing. “We began with a healthy populous and through insect and vector control and good sanitation we have been able to keep our numbers of sick service members to a minimum.”
The sailors spend their days conducting inspections around the base. They ensure the safety and sanitation of more than 900 portable toilets, 660 shower units, 600 trash receptacles and countless living areas, food service installations and other locations around the base.
“Parts of our job aren’t glamorous but someone has to do it to ensure the safety and well being of the troops,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Paul Ineman, a preventive medicine technician with Marine Wing Support Squadron 271 from Alliance, Ohio.
The preventive medicine sailors’ job doesn’t give them a lot of down time. If they aren’t teaching a class or solving health problems, they always have living quarters or other facilities that need inspected.
“Preventive medicine technicians always have something to do,” said Ineman. “There seems to always be another task that needs completed and then we have to prepare our reports on everything we do.”
The reports the team submits are used by their higher headquarters to identify preventable disease and heat related injury trends.
“We submit reports to the II Marine Expeditionary Force and Multi-National Coalition Iraq to track the number of preventable disease cases in western Iraq,” Ineman said. “We also use the information to check how we can take care of certain issues before it turns into a real problem. The reports track heat injuries, gastrointestinal problems or anything else that could be considered a preventable disease.”
The ill effect of heat is one environmental challengethe team spends a lot of their time dealing with. Anything from dehydration and heat cramps to heat stroke is referred to as a heat injury. If not taken seriously, someone could quickly fall victim to a heat related injury in the often more than 110 degree temperatures.
“Heat stress requires a lot of education and constant reminders to drink water often,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Brianna Bernal, a preventive medicine technician with MWSS-271 and Spearfish, S.D., native. “We constantly tell our fellow corpsman to remind their units to drink lots of water while here. Even with constant education, we still receive a small number of heat injuries every month.”
Other preventable diseases common in this region are respiratory and gastrointestinal infections. The constant supply of bottled water is a regular reminder to avoid the tap water, since the water isn’t treated like other sources in the United States.
Not generally a high profile job, the sailors of preventive medicine often go unnoticed, ensuring their inspections are complete, and discovering possible unhealthy situations before they worsen. However, they believe their presence is important to keeping the forces on their feet.
“Here people appreciate us more because we have a more direct impact on their health,” said Bernal. “They see us out there inspecting the food services areas and I think it gives people a sense of reassurance. Public health is more of an issue here. Stateside, people take for granted that the water coming out of the tap is clean and usable. Here people seem to understand that is not the case and are glad to see us testing water everywhere whenever we come through.”
“Safe food is a force multiplier,” Wright said. “If a pilot gets sick, he can’t fly and accomplish his mission. The same thing if a surgeon gets sick. There is no one to take care of the emergency patients who need surgery. We help keep the food safe so everyone can accomplish their mission without worrying about food borne illnesses.”
Keeping service members healthy and ready to fight is what preventive medicine is all about. Keeping the forward deployed 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing assets in the fight keeps these preventive medicine sailors on constant alert for anything that may be a threat to public health.
*For more information about this story please e-mail Cpl. Alex Herron at herronca@acemnf-wiraq.usmc.mil*