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380AEW Article

380th EMDG cares for the mission

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Julie Briden-Garcia
  • 380th Air Expeditionary Wing
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  The 380th Expeditionary Medical Group's mission is to ensure Airmen here are medically ready to fly, fight, maintain and support the mission in Southwest Asia. The EMDG typically sees more than 1,200 patients a month between immunizations, mental health, and overall health issue visits. Providing this top quality care involves a multitude of medical supplies and state-of-the-art equipment obtained by their Logistics specialists.

EMDG's Logistics budget is second only to their personnel payroll consuming $600,000 each fiscal year. On average, Staff Sgt. Laveena Pugh and Senior Airman Lily Pak spend $4,000 to $160,000 monthly for medical supplies and equipment. The medical technicians can only care for their patients when properly equipped through Logistics says Airman Pak, 380th EMDG medical logistics journeyman.

"In addition to ordering syringes and needles, it's our responsibility to buy and maintain all necessary clinical supplies and medical equipment. The caregivers need our help to get the job done, to satisfy their customers' needs," said Airman Pak.

Keeping the EMDG stocked with essential items is difficult. The time between placing an order and receiving it in this location takes much longer than back in the States said Sergeant Pugh.

"In the states, when we order supplies they'll come in the next morning. Routine or standard pipeline time for our location, or for all AOR loggies, is about a two-week lead time; that's standard because of where we are," said Sergeant Pugh.

The biggest challenge logistics faces, other than shipping and receiving, is two-way communication said Sergeant Pugh. As a supply manager, she's responsible for ensuring Logistics meets their customers' needs, so she has constructed a plan to ensure mandatory medical supplies will always be on hand.

"Normally, we maintain the ER, radiology and pharmacy accounts every day; here it's a little different," said Sergeant Pugh. "I asked the clinic to provide their top 25 list of items; the things to help us stay afloat. We want to have a good stockpile for the next crew coming in so they don't have to worry about the supply aspect while adjusting to their new environment."

While this rotation is preparing to re-deploy, one of Logistics' goals was to leave this location better than they found it. One huge accomplishment Sergeant Pugh mentioned was an ongoing project identified in 2008--creating a secure medical supply house for controlled items.

"This was a three-year outstanding deficiency identified by the wing; it just never happened," said Sergeant Pugh. "Working with the base resource manager, we took all the necessary steps to stand our building up as a controlled area. In March 2011, we brought this place up to standards and into compliance with wing directives; this is our achievement."

The 380th Expeditionary Medical Group is a subordinate unit of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing. The wing is home to the KC-10 Extender, U-2S Dragon Lady, E-3 Sentry, F-15C Eagle, and RQ-4A/B Global Hawk aircraft. The 380th AEW mission supports Operations Enduring Freedom, New Dawn, and the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.