CAMP JOHNSON, Vermont –
Soldiers and Airmen of the Vermont National are traveling to Senegal for two weeks to take part in a medical exercise as part of the National Guard Bureau's State Partnership Program.
Fifteen medical professionals with the Vermont National Guard, to include providers, public health nurses, combat medics, bio-medical technicians and command and control staff, will travel to Kolda, Senegal. They will work with the Senegalese military medical and dental clinics, and civilian regional clinic and hospital.
"Vermont will be building medical readiness in our medical staff by working shoulder to shoulder with our Senegalese partners," said Lt. Col Chris Gookin, deputy state surgeon, Vermont National Guard.
"As Vermont continues into its tenth year of partnership with Senegal, planning and development of future medical initiatives and larger scale operations have been initiated for the next 3-5 years," said Gookin. "In my opinion, one of the keys to success will be sustaining this level of momentum with clear intent, stakeholder engagements and open communication. We all don't know what we know together.”
Vermont is partnered with Senegal and North Macedonia. Vermont has been partnered with Senegal since 2008 and North Macedonia since 1994. The State Partnership Program is an innovative, cost-effective, and small footprint security cooperation program that connects the National Guard with the militaries of partner-nations around the world.