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FST 5 Leads Expeditionary Medical Contingent to Guatemala

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS080502-22
Release Date: 5/2/2008 3:05:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class (SW) Porter Anderson, USS Boxer Public Affairs

ABOARD USS BOXER, At Sea (NNS) -- Fleet Surgical Team (FST) 5, embarked aboard USS Boxer (LHD 4) began making preparations May 2 to partner with several Latin American countries with medical aid and support ashore as part of Continuing Promise (CP) 2008.

CP 2008 is an equal partnership mission combining partner nations and U.S. relief capabilities to help create a strong bond between them, while assisting neighboring countries.

FST 5 is leading an expeditionary medical team of over 100 people.

"We want to provide integrated complementary care and work side-by-side with the host nation professionals," said Capt. Louis Orosz, medical contingent commander.
"That teamwork increases the credibility for both sides, the host nation and for us."

The team will work side-by-side with Latin American medical teams and non-governmental organizations to provide many types of medical care in each of the countries Boxer is scheduled to visit during the ship's Humanitarian Civic Assistance mission.

During the ship's first stop in Guatemala, Boxer, FST 5 and partner nation representatives hope to treat as many as 1,000 people per day with medical care such as general health, optometry, dental, and minor surgeries. The team also brings the capability to provide veterinarian care, provide preventive medicine assessments and conduct medical and nursing training, as well as bio-medical equipment repair.

Boxer and FST 5 will also deliver over $200,000 of pharmaceutical supplies for patients from partner nations and more than $160,000 of disposable surgical supplies.

"It took a huge effort to identify what we were going to need for the mission as well as to get it onboard, but I think we'll be ready for Guatemala," said Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class (SW) Leo Carbajal, surgical supply coordinator for FST 5.

FST 5 will separate and deliver the supplies equally among Guatemala, El Salvador and Peru.

"This mission is the essence of what corpsmen do," said Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class (FMF) Rosalind Thomas, medical assistant for FST 5. "The HCA will also give us a chance to connect with the people and the countries we visit."

For more news from USS Boxer, visit www.navy.mil/local/lhd4/.