Medical Training Mission Will Provide Free Health-Care Services in Western Maryland August 13–21

Residents of the western Maryland region will be able to receive free medical, dental, vision, and veterinary care services August 13–21 through the Appalachian Mountain Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) event, a U.S. Department of Defense civil-military project with a dual mission of giving soldiers experience in large-scale medical exercises while providing health care in underserved communities. Services will be provided in Cumberland by approximately 80 trained medical, dental, and veterinary military personnel, with follow-up care to be coordinated by on-site community health professionals.

ARC is providing support to the Allegany County Human Resources Development Commission for implementation of the training mission. The event follows the June 2–12 Appalachian Care Medical Mission, an ARC-supported IRT event through which residents of the rural North Carolina communities of Bryson City, Murphy, and Andrews and the surrounding region received free services. During the 10-day mission, approximately 170 active, reserve, and National Guard service members provided care to more than 8,000 patients and 2,600 animals from communities in western North Carolina and neighboring states.

The Appalachian Mountain IRT event is open to all; patients do not need to be Maryland residents. Detailed information about the event and how to make an appointment for services is available on the Appalachian Mountain IRT Facebook page at www.facebook.com/AppalachianMountainIRT2014.