Airmen keep servicemembers healthy through preventative measures

by Senior Airman Wes Carter
332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

4/6/2010 - JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq (AFNS) -- Every day thousands of Airmen, Sailors, Soldiers and contractors walk through the doors of Dining Facility Two here to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner. They can do this without worrying if the food they are consuming is safe to eat, because of the efforts of the 332nd Expeditionary Aerospace Medical Squadron's Public Health Flight staff.

While the flight members conduct health-related functions dealing with sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis and animal bites, the largest part of their job is the inspection of the food servicemembers and contractors consume daily.

"We check how the food is stored, what temperature it is cooked at and what the environment it is stored in looks like among other things," said Staff Sgt. Jennifer Ledward, a 332nd EAMS public health technician. "Our No. 1 priority is to ensure people aren't susceptible to food poisoning or other food-borne illnesses. Anything that affects the whole population involves us."

The Public Health Flight staff is responsible for inspecting Dining Facility Two, deemed the establishment well above satisfactory during a detailed check in March. Each monthly inspection is unannounced in order to prevent the facility to prepare.

"We gave the dining facility a rating of 'excellent,'" Sergeant Ledward said. "In order to receive this high of a mark, the facility has two satisfactory ratings in a row. This ensures they are being consistently conscious of potential health issues."

It's important to remember that public health Airmen aren't just trying to keep a few people from a trip to the clinic. In a deployed location the health of every Airman is vital.

"It gives me a good piece of mind that when I come in here I won't get sick," said Tech. Sgt. Brian Jackson, a 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron member. "My unit already has a high mission tempo right now, for me to be out of the picture because I am sick would cause them to have to grab someone else, it would affect the whole mission from the top down."

Holding the DFAC accountable is a big part of keeping Airmen at Joint Base Balad healthy, but there are some things each Airman should do to help stay fit to fight, according to the public health staff, such as washing their hands regularly, covering their mouth when they sneeze or cough, and keeping work and living areas clean to keep germs under control.