452nd Medical Group sends shelter supplies to the Hurricane

  • Published
  • By SSgt. Osmin Suguitan
  • 452\

MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, CALIF - Organizations across the nation are sending help for the communities affected by Hurricane Harvey, and our own 452nd Medical Group here is also scheduled to take a part by preparing shelter supplies for the relief efforts.

 The 452 MDG located, secured, and airlift prepared 10 pallets of equipment valued at over $300,000 planned for a shelter or field hospital. The shipment of over 250 mattresses, 180 litters, gurneys, and blankets is part of a larger coordinated effort by Air Mobility Command to provide extra war reserve materials to the weather ravaged Houston area.

 "We're one team all working together," said Master Sgt. Sheila Aguinaldo, medical logistics manager with the 452 Aeromedical Staging Squadron, "6 [Air Force] bases are sending supplies, but the only one in California is March Air Reserve Base."

 The team of three from 452 ASTS, including Aguinaldo, and two CACI Intl. contractors, Joel Cederlind and Jeff Ravsten, worked for almost a week to collect the relief goods and ready them for airlift forward. The goods needed to be specially packaged to safely and securely make the trip on military aircraft, which required the specialized procedures and care.

  "Our warehouse houses a lot of equipment that's intended to provide support for either war efforts or for disasters," said Senior Master Sgt. Gale Mears-Paulson, medical administrative specialist with the 452 MDG, "helping out with a national disaster, that is one of the main things that we do."