IRT realizes public benefit worth over $900,000 so far

From left, CNMI Health mission commander Col. Hugh D. West; CNMI Bureau of Military Affairs special assistant Daniel Aquino, Brig. Jennifer Marrast Host, deputy commanding general, 807 Medical Command (Deployment Support); and IRT deputy director Col. George Koklanaris pose for a picture following a press conference yesterday at the American Memorial Park in Garapan. (CHRYSTAL MARINO)

As the U.S. Department of Defense’s Innovative Readiness Training nears the end of Operation CNMI Wellness on Saipan, Tinian and Rota, operation leaders and service members gathered with the CNMI’s top officials yesterday at the American Memorial Park in Garapan for an overall briefing during their Distinguished Visitors Day.

During the presentation, Gov. Arnold I Palacios told the U.S. military that the community is grateful for both medical and veterinary services that are being provided. “There are gaps in veterinary care and gaps in healthcare here in the Commonwealth, and we would love to make sure you come back next year to provide this opportunity,” he said, adding that he is also grateful to the efforts of the CNMI Bureau of Military Affairs, which helped coordinate the outreach on the ground.

Gov. Arnold I Palacios thanks the IRT Operation CNMI Wellness team and leaders during a presentation yesterday at the American Memorial Park in Garapan. (CHRYSTAL MARINO)

During the presentation, IRT operation leaders shared that their mission is to provide a real-world training for the military and build community partnerships.

“IRT was born out of a need to help our communities in America and our territories. We were always doing civil affairs throughout the world…and now we have the opportunity to serve our communities here,” said deputy director for Innovative Readiness Training Col. George Koklanaris.

For their operation here, they estimate 12,600 training hours and a community benefit worth over $900,000 at fair market value in just over one week. As of the current status report, they’ve seen 364 patients on Tinian, 357 on Rota, and 1,482 on Saipan, along with over 300 pets.

With these no-cost services covering medical, dental, optometry, veterinary, pharmacy, and behavioral health for the community, it was dental health care services that had most patients and made up most of the community benefit cost at over $400,000.

Following the presentation, CBMA special assistant Daniel Aquino said they will be looking at the numbers, study them, and work with the military to make the necessary adjustments for the IRT’s next visit, which is said to be in the works at the moment.

In a later comment, Koklanaris said, “…We enjoy coming out to CNMI as much as we do because we consider it a privilege to serve all of our communities, and the CNMI is an important community to the Pentagon, and it’s an important community to IRT, so we look forward to coming out here every year if you want us and we’ll be glad to provide all the types of medical services that you need…”

IRT Wellness CNMI mission commander Col. Hugh D. West said they will be sharing a list of community resources based on the recommendations that our providers are making…that they can use in the community to carry on that care. He also expressed hope to return next year, and that plans for that visit are in the works as they also seek to finish construction on Tinian’s roads.

Community members who have availed these no-cost services are encouraged to fill out the feedback survey at bit.ly/3XJAW2E and comment or suggest things, treatments, and services they wish avail of in the next IRT tour in the Marianas.