Joint Task Force-Bravo provides medical care to more than 900 in Honduras

by U.S. Army Sgt. Courtney Kreft
Joint Task Force-Bravo Medical Element

10/19/2013 - SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras -- Joint Task Force-Bravo's Medical Element (MEDEL) partnered with Honduran nationals to provide medical care in the Department of Comayagua during a recent medical readiness exercixe (MEDRET).

More than 900 people in the Las Liconas and El Cirulo villages took advantage of preventive medical services such as immunizations, basic gynecology, medications, and some minor medical procedures provided.

"Missions like this give us a chance to give back to the local communities and allows us to strengthen our skills as medical professionals and as soldiers," said Sgt. 1st Class Deborah Jones, MEDRETE official.

JTF-Bravo and the Honduran military, along with the Honduran Ministry of Health and the San Pedro Sula Medical School, also offered classes on hygiene, nutrition, and preventative dental care.

"This exercise gave our medical team a chance to work with our Honduran counterparts, both civilian and military,  and to build our relationship with the host nation population," said U.S. Army Capt. Yasmin Alter, mission commander.

Since October 2012, Joint Task Force-Bravo has conducted five MEDRETES in Honduras and provided medical care to more than 5,000 Hondurans. Along with the Offices of Security Cooperation and partner nation Department of Health officials in all seven Central American countries, JTF-Bravo treated more than 11,000 patients last year.

Joint Task Force-Bravo conducts MEDRETEs throughout Central America each year in support of U.S. Southern Command's humanitarian and disaster relief programs in order to strengthen civil-military cooperation between the United States and nations in the region.