{"id":39018,"date":"2024-07-29T00:02:08","date_gmt":"2024-07-29T04:02:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/?p=39018"},"modified":"2024-07-29T10:20:59","modified_gmt":"2024-07-29T14:20:59","slug":"dvids-blackfeet-nation-hosts-operation-walking-shield-medical-mission","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2024\/07\/29\/dvids-blackfeet-nation-hosts-operation-walking-shield-medical-mission\/","title":{"rendered":"DVIDS: Blackfeet Nation hosts Operation Walking Shield medical mission"},"content":{"rendered":" \"Blackfeet<\/a>
U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Brett Ringger, Optometrist assigned to 136th Medical Group, Texas Air National Guard, provides vision care during the Blackfeet Tribal Health – Operation Walking Shield Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) medical mission at Browning High School in Browning, Montana, on July 18, 2024. The medical IRT mission is a Department of Defense sponsored training event that links community partners with joint force partners to provide medical care for surrounding communities. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Alexis Wade<\/figcaption>\r\n
Medical IRT Brings New Opportunities to Blackfeet Tribe and Surrounding Communities<\/div>\r\n
Monday, July 29, 2024<\/div>\r\n
By Capt. Jordyn Craft \/ 179th Cyberspace Wing<\/div>\r\n
DOD DVIDS<\/div>\r\n
dvidshub.net<\/A><\/div>\r\n

<\/p>\r\nBROWNING, Montana — U.S. service members from more than 50 units across the country arrived in Montana last week for Blackfeet Tribal Health – Operation Walking Shield, an Innovative Readiness Training medical mission in Browning, Montana, July 15 to 29, 2024.\r\n

<\/p>\r\nApproximately 200 service members from the Air National Guard, Army National Guard, Air Force Active Duty, Air Force Reserve, Army Reserve, and the Navy Reserve in collaboration with Blackfeet Tribal Health began operating a 10-day no-cost healthcare clinic providing medical, dental, vision, behavioral, and veterinary services to not only the Blackfeet Tribe but also the surrounding public, July 18.\r\n

<\/p>\r\n\u201cThis is a huge opportunity for everybody to get these services not only Blackfeet but surrounding areas Cut Bank, Shelby, Great Falls, it is available to everyone,\u201d said Mr. Garland Stiffarm, chief executive officer for Blackfeet Tribal Health. \u201cA clinic like this has never been done before at Browning. It\u2019s monumental and it’s a long time coming. I really thank the military for providing these services to us.\u201d\r\n

<\/p>\r\n \"Blackfeet<\/a>

U.S. Army Spc. Brianna Bottorff, combat medic assigned to the 215th Medical Company, Indiana Army National Guard, triages a patient at the opening day of the Blackfeet tribal Health – Operation Walking Shield Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) medical mission at Browning High School in Browning, Montana, on July 17, 2024. The medical IRT mission is a Department of Defense sponsored training event that links community partners with joint force partners to provide medical care for surrounding communities. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Alexis Wade<\/figcaption>\r\n

<\/p>\r\nThe Blackfeet Tribal Health \u2013 Operation Walking Shield mission started with an application submitted by Blackfeet Tribal Health in October 2022 and mission planning included multiple site visits over the last ten months, culminating in this ten-day clinic.\r\n

<\/p>\r\n\u201cThe process has been lifechanging, last year when we first came, we were strangers, but when this mission ends, we will leave more like family. This mission would not have been possible without Mr. Stiffarm and Blackfeet Tribal Health,\u201d said Maj. Pranav Rane, IRT mission officer-in-charge and public health officer at the 179th Cyberspace Wing. \u201cWe have had long days, weeks and months leading up to this but to have our service members finally here, supporting the community in this capacity is better than I could have imagined.\u201d\r\n

<\/p>\r\nMedical, dental and vision access to members of the Blackfeet Tribe and residents of the surrounding communities is limited with 38 percent having no access to healthcare, according to the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau website.\r\n

<\/p>\r\n \"Blackfeet<\/a>

U.S. military members a part of the Blackfeet tribal Health – Operation Walking Shield Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) medical mission provide patient care on the opening day of the no-cost clinic at Browning High School in Browning, Montana, on July 17, 2024. The medical IRT mission is a Department of Defense sponsored training event that links community partners with joint force partners to provide medical care for surrounding communities. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Alexis Wade<\/figcaption>\r\n

<\/p>\r\nThe Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) Program is a Secretary of Defense funded initiative that began more than three decades ago and provides mission essential training for service members through real-world engagement with communities in need of construction, medical, transportation or cyber services.\r\n

<\/p>\r\nFor many service members, the opportunity to serve their nation in this capacity and in this location is a unique one that may not present itself again.\r\n

<\/p>\r\n\u201cThe most memorable part for me has been getting to learn about the culture of each patient before and after treating them,\u201d said Airman 1st Class Edmond Thompson, a dental technician on his first IRT mission assigned to the 147th Attack Wing. \u201cWe\u2019re getting to make connections with the community on a human level and that\u2019s something money can\u2019t buy.\u201d\r\n

<\/p>\r\n \"Blackfeet<\/a>

U.S. Army Sergeant Chass Lane, combat medic assigned to the Medical Readiness Detachment, Deleware Army National Guard, assesses a patient on the opening day of the Blackfeet tribal Health – Operation Walking Shield Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) medical mission at Browning High School in Browning, Montana, on July 17, 2024. The medical IRT mission is a Department of Defense sponsored training event that links community partners with joint force partners to provide medical care for surrounding communities. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Alexis Wade<\/figcaption>\r\n

<\/p>\r\nIn 2023, the IRT program conducted approximately 60 missions in 31 states and territories delivering roughly 20 million dollars in value to American communities by providing life-changing care and resources.\r\n

<\/p>\r\nThe 10-day no-cost medical clinic, Blackfeet Tribal Health \u2013 Operation Walking Shield, will be open to the public providing medical, dental, vision, behavioral, and veterinary services between July 18 through July 27.\r\n

<\/p>

DVIDS (Defense Video Imagery Distribution System) is a state-of-the-art, \r\n24\/7 operation that provides a timely, accurate and reliable connection between \r\nthe media around the world and the military serving worldwide. This article is \r\nin the public \r\ndomain<\/A>.<\/EM>
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