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386th EMDG Pharmacy offers more than you think

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Joshua King
  • 386th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  When an Airmen gets a cold or a headache here, they can stop by the 386th Expeditionary Medical Group pharmacy, because the pharmacy might have exactly what they need -- for free.

The pharmacy, at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia, offers an assortment of over-the-counter medicine that all military and Defense Department civilian personnel can pick up at no charge.

“If you have common illnesses, like colds, upset stomach or if you are just in pain, we have medication for that,” said Tech. Sgt. Julian Ray Tayag, 386th EMDG pharmacy technician from Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. “Anything that you can get at your local drug store, we most likely have here.”

With a base population smaller than the average stateside installation, and the lack of dependents and retirees to serve, The Rock’s pharmacy is only manned by two personnel.

The Rock is the largest aerial port in the region, sending cargo and personnel all over. Many of these personnel are on prescriptions or need specific medications for where they are headed, so the pharmacy can assist with those medications too.

“We see about 20-30 patients a day,” said Lt. Col. Melissa Pammer, 386th EMDG ancillary services element chief from Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. “Everyone thinks of us for coughs and colds but we have much more than that.”

If the Airman is on a prescription, they would need to come see the pharmacy about a month out from the last dosage to ensure the medication is in stock when the refill is needed, said Pammer.

The majority of medical groups around the Air Force no longer or never had over-the-counter programs. In a deployed environment here at The Rock, the medication can assist in getting Airmen over their illness and back to the mission.

“We want to keep the flyers flying and the maintainers maintaining their equipment,” added Tayag. “Bottom line is that we take care of everybody to make sure they can do their job.”