Public Health keeps Airmen healthy through preventative measures

Staff Sgt. William Crenshaw 332nd Aerospace Medicine Squadron public health noncommissioned officer in charge, reviews comments with the Dining Facility Two manager after a successful inspection of the facility at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, March 23, 2010. Public Health personnel conduct up to eight no-notice facility inspections every month on JBB to ensure standards are being met. Sergeant Crenshaw is deployed from Joint Base San Antonio, and is a native of Long Beach, Calif. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Linda C. Miller/Released)

Public Health keeps Airmen healthy through preventative measures

Staff Sgts. Jennifer Ledward (left) and William Crenshaw, public health technicians with the 332nd Aerospace Medicine Squadron, check the temperature, dates, and storage of the "first in, first out" refrigerator during an inspection of Dining Facility Two at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, March 23, 2010. The food stored in this refrigerator is to be used within two days of the storage date. Public Health personnel conduct up to eight no-notice facility inspections every month on JBB to ensure standards are being met. Sergeant Ledward is deployed from Beale AFB, Calif., and is a native of Birmingham, Ala. Sergeant Crenshaw is deployed from Lackland AFB, Texas and is a native of Long Beach, Calif. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Linda C. Miller/Released)

Public Health keeps Airmen healthy through preventative measures

Staff Sgt. William Crenshaw, 332nd Aerospace Medicine Squadron public health noncommissioned officer in charge, checks the temperature of the chicken being served in the grab-and-go line during an inspection of Dining Facility Two at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, March 23, 2010. Public Health personnel conduct up to eight no- notice facility inspections every month on JBB to ensure standards are being met. Sergeant Crenshaw is deployed from Lackland AFB, Texas, and is a native of Long Beach, Calif. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Linda C. Miller/Released)

Public Health keeps Airmen healthy through preventative measures

Published March 31, 2010
By Senior Airman Wes Carter
332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq -- Every day thousands of Airmen, Sailors, Soldiers and contractors walk through the doors of Dining Facility Two to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner. They can do this without worrying if the food they are consuming is safe to eat, due to the efforts of the 332nd Expeditionary Aerospace Medical Squadron's public health flight.

While the flight also conducts health-related functions dealing with sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis and animal bites, the largest part of their job is the inspection of the food that 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 number one 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, which is responsible for inspecting Dining Facility Two, deemed the establishment well above satisfactory during a detailed check last week. 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 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 JBB 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.