LINCOLN AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. - Airmen from the 155th Air Refueling Wing’s medical group participated in Justified Accord 2022, a joint medical engineer mission with the Rwanda Defence Force at Gako Military Academy, Rwanda.
The State Partnership Program exchange between Nebraska and Rwanda helped build readiness for the U.S. Joint Force, help prepare RDF units for U.N.-mandated missions and increase multinational interoperability.
Throughout the March visit, the 155th ARW’s medical group set up a level two hospital and accepted a patient transferred from Kenya by air.
“The level two hospital can see up to 40 outpatients a day and maintain 10 to 20 inpatients,” said Maj. Angela Ling, 155th ARW nurse practitioner. “This exercise was very important because it played into multiple nations in Africa and helped everyone practice important skills.”
Justified Accord was important for the scenarios practiced and the building of a relationship between Nebraska and Rwanda. Ling said this was the first medical trip to Rwanda because of COVID-19 travel restrictions.
Master Sgt. Jaclyn Carlisle, 155th ARW emergency medical technician, said it was a good experience.
“It was a great time overall and it was good to see new aspects of the field I had not seen yet,” Carlisle said. “It was the first time I saw a level two hospital get set up. We learned from each other and we were able to do classroom work with the RDF as well.”
Carlisle saw RDF members use some of their capabilities and skills and the classroom lessons she taught them.
“It was really impressive watching them because they practiced how you play in real-world,” Carlisle said. “It makes future interactions and opportunities all the better to work with them.”
Working with the RDF and learning about its operations will help Ling plan for a return trip to Rwanda in August.
“When I go back in August, I will be learning how to run a medical readiness exercise and what all goes into it. This trip gave me a better feel of what I’ll be going back to,” Ling said. “The State Partnership Program is so unique for the National Guard to be able and engage in these international relationships. I’m passionate about the program and think any way we can add to it is important.”