An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Articles
News | March 20, 2018

Vermont National Guard medical personnel work in Senegal

By Sgt. Avery Cunningham 172nd Public Affairs Detachment

Vermont National Guard members mobilized to Senegal Feb. 4-23 to work with Senegalese medical personnel to obtain experience providing services as part of a medical readiness training exercise.

Vermont is paired with Senegal as part of the State Partnership Program, a joint Department of Defense program managed by the National Guard Bureau, guided by the State Department and executed by the state adjutants general to link a state's National Guard with a partner nation's military and security forces in a cooperative, mutually beneficial relationship. The exercise presents an opportunity to build upon this relationship while also providing Soldiers training outside of the normal scope of operations. 

"The focus (of MEDRETE 18-1) is supposed to be on resuscitative care, damage control surgery, trauma type surgery, military combat surgeries," said U.S. Army Master Sgt. Bert Severin, a medic and the trip noncommissioned officer in charge with Joint Force Headquarters, Vermont National Guard. "Those are not elective. You have to wait for an accident or some kind of event before doing that surgery, so we've been doing their scheduled elective or necessary surgeries like prostate surgeries, hernia surgeries, myomectomies, and there was a cholecystectomy as well."

The surgeries the Guard members are conducting provide an educational opportunity for the medics. They train to give trauma care and to deal with combat injuries. Some have never seen an operating room before or assisted with a surgery.

"This is fantastic going both ways," said Capt. Kimberly Sorber, a physician's assistant assigned to Charlie Company, 186th Brigade Support Battalion, 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain). "We are learning a lot. It's very humbling to see how much the Senegalese can do with resources that we probably take for granted. They're extremely accommodating and they are just as excited for us to be here as we are."

Working together allowed relationships to develop and strengthen between the U.S. service members and the Senegalese. The Senegalese medical professionals accommodate each National Guard member by playing to their strengths and experience in operations and patient care. They allowed the Guardsmen to become part of the team and operate with them seamlessly. 

"This morning, we came to the military clinic where there are four operations going on and this morning I was able to take part in an inguinal hernia repair," Sorber said. "It was the first time they allowed any female to do surgery at this hospital so that was a big deal for them."

Equipment repair is another element in this MEDRETE. The National Guard and Senegalese biotechnical equipment technicians share knowledge and cooperatively make repairs; the greatest difficulty they face is obtaining the required parts. 

"We came here to help any way we can. My job is to fix broken medical equipment here, and work with them and show them that we can have a working relationship," said U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Matthew T. LaVigne, a biomedical equipment technician assigned to the 158th Fighter Wing Medical Group. 

The Senegalese medical professionals work hard to overcome any concerns. Despite any difficulties they are able to provide medical care for the people of Ziguinchor. 

"They're working with the minimum by our standards, but they get it done," said Severin. "They're saving lives, and they're as well trained and as well-equipped as they can be."

The official logo of the Vermont National Guard.

TAG's State of the Guard - April 2025

Video Thumbnail

 

The above YouTube video link may not work on all government computers. Read the transcript of MG Gregory Knight's full State of the Guard here.

National Guard News
U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Shane Mills, readiness non-commissioned officer for the 246th Transportation Battalion, Michigan National Guard, discusses U.S. Army fleet management documentation processes with vehicle drivers from the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF), April 17, 2025, at the RSLAF Joint Logistics Unit in the Murray Town district of Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Michigan-Sierra Leone Partnership Moves Ahead with Multidisciplinary Engagements
By Capt. Andrew Layton, | May 2, 2025
FREETOWN, Sierra Leone – The partnership between the Michigan National Guard and the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) took another step forward April 11-18 with three separate engagements conducted at various...

A U.S. Air Force F-15C Eagle from the 159th Fighter Wing flies alongside a B-52H Stratofortress  during air-to-air integration training, April 29, 2025. The training enhanced interoperability between active-duty and Air National Guard aircrews, reinforcing their ability to operate as a cohesive force in complex airspace. (U.S. Air Force photo by Lt. Col. Matthew Dougherty)
Louisiana Guard, Active Component Airmen Complete Air-to-Air Integration Training
By Senior Airman Seth Watson, | May 2, 2025
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. - The 2nd Bomb Wing, assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command under Eighth Air Force, and the Louisiana National Guard's 159th Fighter Wing demonstrated enhanced interoperability and...

Air Force Gen. Steve Nordhaus, chief, National Guard Bureau, visits the 49th Missile Defense Battalion, Alaska National Guard, on Fort Greely, Alaska, April 28, 2025. Soldiers of the 49th Missile Defense Battalion operate and secure the ground-based midcourse defense system and are an integral piece of the homeland defense mission to protect the U.S. from intercontinental ballistic missiles using ground-based interceptors.
In Alaska, Nordhaus Sees National Guardsmen Defending the Homeland, Enabling Global Power Projection
By Master Sgt. Zach Sheely | May 1, 2025
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska – From within Alaska’s vast Interior, Alaska National Guardsmen defend the homeland from long-range missile attacks and enable global power projection.Air Force Gen. Steve Nordhaus, the chief of...