106th Medical Detachment Provides Care for Furry Friends

When people become sick, they go to the hospital and see a doctor.

But what about the four legged members of the family?

Throughout the Republic of Korea, the 106th Medical Detachment offers services to furry friends.

The 106th Medical Detachment (Veterinary Support Service) is a diverse organization in South Korea.

Their primary mission is to provide support if necessary for the transition to hostilities.

However, they are also responsible for veterinary public healthcare support through comprehensive food protection and veterinary medical and surgical care for government owned animals.

The mission of veterinary medical and surgical care for privately owned animals, although limited due to the primary mission is available on a space available basis.

Recently, members of the Yongsan Veterinary Clinic of the 106th Medical Detachment conducted surgery on a pitbull named Ramsey.

Diagnosed with tumors on the dog's body, Capt. Jacob Marceck, Officer in Charge of the 106th Veterinary Treatment Facility was assisted by Capt. Jung Jaehyong from the Republic of Korea Army Support Group in surgery to eliminate those tumors from Ramsey.

"The ROK and U.S. Army's Veterinary Corps have an extraordinary relationship. We run seminars and conferences together for military veterinarians sharing our two countries' veterinary medical knowledge," said Jaehyong.

The 106th Medical Detachment works not only for providing health care of animals of service members thourghout United States Forces Korea, but also is responsible for sanitation inspection of all the food that arrives into the country.

Service members can be at ease knowing their furry companions will receive quality health care at any of the Veterinary Treatment Facilities (VTF) throughout Korea.

The 106th Medical Detachment Veterinary Service Support provides veterinary care to military working dogs and military member owned pets at five locations across the peninsula (Camp Red Cloud, Yongsan, Osan Air Base, Camp Humphreys and Camp Walker).

Their mission is to provide the highest quality veterinary and medical care and preventive medicine to military families and their pets at a reasonable cost.

Animal care services are provided for all active duty, as well as retired services members and their families.

A wide variety of services are offered and directed toward preventing, diagnosing and controlling infectious diseases.

Here in the Republic of Korea, the Army VTFs are also responsible for providing care to Military Working Dogs, which is one of their primary missions.

The clinics also play a role in the event of a wartime contingency operation by helping to facilitate infectious disease control and pet evacuations off the peninsula.

The majority of the workload is a little more conventional.

Aside from wellness exams, routine vaccinations and laboratory testing, the average clinic sees between 10 and 25 patients a day, and conducts an average of three to four surgeries every week.

Besides caring for our cherished pets and the four-legged heroes who serve side-by-side with our Soldiers the U.S. Army Veterinary Service serves a public health role as well.

"Not only do we provide medical services for pets, we are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week for emergency treatment or surgery for military police working dogs," said Capt. Danielle M. Diamond, Camp Red Cloud VTF Officer in Charge. "If they call and say they had an emergency with one of their dogs, we would cancel all beneficiary animal appointments and focus on the military dog, because they are military members."

The Detachment also has veterinarian food inspection specialists who are constantly on the move.

They inspect every commissary, dining facility, restaurant, shopette and food court to ensure food products are safe for purchase and human consumption.

While balancing the hectic work-load and the rigors of the Army, Soldiers of the detachment provide quality service and are just a phone call away.

"We try to have pet services three times a week with one of those days reserved just for surgeries," added Diamond. "The best way for pets to be seen is by making an appointment."