Intra-Theater Care Program: "Returning the warriors to the fight"

Published Aug. 15, 2014
By Staff Sgt. Ciara Wymbs
379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

AL UDEID AIR BASE, QATAR -- As if being away from home for sometimes six to 12 months at a time isn't enough, imagine if you were injured and half way across the world from the people that love you most.

Airmen assigned to the 379th Expeditionary Medical Group Intra-Theater Care Program are working to make that situation as homelike as possible here at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, and return the injured back to the mission, as quickly as possible.

Our mission is to make sure the warriors get back to the fight," said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Anna Wasson, 379th Expeditionary Medical Group Intra-Theater Care Program non-commissioned officer in charge. "Without having to think about the mission."

"We go and find out what they need," said Wasson. "It's kind of nice to be able to have that for them, to be able to say, you sit there, and rest and we are going to provide the meal for you."

ITCP, which began in 2008, is a comprehensive and component of the Wounded Warrior program for Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines throughout the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, which supports Operation Enduring Freedom, New Dawn, and Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.

The program is the only one of its kind in the Air Force, consisting of a full continuum of care that ranges from setting up billeting to arranging transportation to and from appointments. More than 90 percent of patients return to their units within 30 days.

For Wasson, this is the first time deploying to fill such a role; there is no prior training for the position before arriving here.

"I am a medical technician and a lot of my primary duties at home station carry over into the ITCP," said Wasson. "Only being here a few short weeks, I feel grateful being such a big impact on the recovery of patients."

Not only does ITCP work to get Service members back to the mission physically, but they also provide some mental comfort through a breakfast in bed program and a movie and pizza night.

"My favorite part of my job is looking out for my patient's morale," she said. "It's my belief that a person with an uplifted morale heals a lot quicker than a person whose morale is low."

In the end, both patient and providers have some gratification of knowing that once the injury has healed they are ready to return to the mission.

"This job is rewarding in many ways," said Wasson. "I get to meet a lot of Service members from the different branches, and I get to see their progress through recovery."

"When they leave to return to their units, it is one of the best feelings that I can get, knowing that I assisted this person, and now they can return to serve with their units."