Coyotes provide health care at Tropic Care 2016

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Emily E. Amyotte
  • 190th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
Airmen from the 190th Air Refueling Wing provided free vision, medical and dental care to the communities of Kauai as part of Tropic Care 2016 from June 20-29 on the island of Kauai, Hawaii.

Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and Marines all worked together to yield aid from five separate clinics across the island, bringing a range of medical care to the Kauai Island people. Many times, local Kauai community members cannot receive health care due to cost or availability -- stressing the importance of Tropic Care's mission.

Throughout the two-week deployment, Tropic Care 2016 provided care to 17,857 local community members, almost a third of the island's population. Clinics were located at schools along the coast of the island, one of which was a mobile unit switching between two remote locations.

The participating 190th Medical Group members agreed that being able to provide this type of care is a critical mission that benefits more than just training requirements, but of course, the local communities.

"The community is very welcoming and very grateful that we're here to provide care to them at no cost to the community," said Capt. Alyshia Leisure, 190th Medical Group and Air National Guard liaison. "They're absolutely welcoming of us."

On top of it all, Airmen agreed that the highlight of their trip was knowing they were a part of a bigger picture.

"It makes me feel great," said Senior Airman Austin Roberts, 190th Medical Group surgical technician. "To know that I can use my services that I've learned in the military to help someone else out makes me feel really good about myself and what I'm doing here."