(This is an article in the Winter 2007 edition of the Air Force’s service magazine, “Airman,” covering a recent USSOUTHCOM Medical Readiness Training Exercise in Colombia.)

By Staff Sgt. Matthew Bates, Airman Magazine

The medical readiness training exercise, or MEDRETE, is an important part of the U.S. military’s Humanitarian and Civic Assistance Program in South and Central America.

Under the supervision of U.S. Southern Command, these exercises bring medical aid to needy rural areas and populations in the region and provide valuable deployment training to Air Force and sister service medical units.

Typical MEDRETEs include medical, dental and sometimes veterinary care and, when properly planned and conducted, they have a tremendous positive impact on the educational and medical infrastructures of an area.

“Because of their humanitarian nature, MEDRETE deployments serve as low cost, short duration, high impact events that engage host nation militaries, civilian ministries, and local populations in a unique and positive manner,” said Master Sgt. Vernon Sandt, superintendent of medical plans and operations at Headquarters Air Forces Southern at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.

The MEDRETE program also enhances the image of the United States across the globe, as it affords medical personnel the opportunity to have a positive, personal impact on the lives of thousands of individuals each year. In many cases, these individuals either do not have regular medical care to take advantage of or are too poor to afford it.

“These exercises do much to promote goodwill between the U.S. and its partner nations,” said Sergeant Sandt. “In many cases, this is the first interaction an individual may have with the U.S. military and when that first contact is a good one, they will always have that positive image in their mind.”

These exercises are also beneficial to the U.S. military by providing new and unique training environments in remote areas.

This year, the U.S. will conduct 65 MEDRETEs in 15 countries throughout Central and South America and the Caribbean, at an estimated cost of nearly $3 million. Last year, these figures were similar, as the U.S. spent nearly $3 million and conducted 70 exercises in 18 separate countries. Combined, the MEDRETEs will provide medical care to more than 200,000 individuals – in many cases the only professional medical care they will receive.