'Mountain Medics' return from deployment

By Dani Johnson (Fort Carson)May 21, 2015

'Mountain Medics' return from deployment
FORT CARSON, Colo. -- Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Peet, 223rd Medical Detachment (Preventive Medicine), 10th Combat Support Hospital, reunites with his wife, Anne, and children, Evelyn and Zane, during a welcome home ceremony May 20, 2015, at the Spec... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT CARSON, Colo. -- Eleven Fort Carson Soldiers with the 223rd Medical Detachment (Preventive Medicine), 10th Combat Support Hospital, were welcomed home in a ceremony at 1:30 a.m. May 20, 2015.

The "Mountain Medics" deployed to Kuwait in August in support of operations Enduring Freedom and Inherent Resolve.

"The way the Soldiers came together as a team made it a great deployment," said Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Peet, 223rd Med. Det. "All the yearlong training we did before deploying came together (while deployed). We performed better than any of us expected."

While deployed, the detachment operated as a dispersed command reporting to 3rd Medical Command (Forward) and U.S. Army Central Command (USARCENT) at 20 installations in six different countries throughout Southwest Asia. They provided nonstandard preventive medicine to include a microbiology laboratory, biochemical agent identification capacity and clinical medical provider capabilities.

"This was a great experience," said Spc. Jacob Lopez, a 223rd Med. Det. preventive medicine technician returning from his first deployment. "I got to apply my training and learn my job (downrange). I feel more competent, and know I can do (my job)."

After Iraq became more hostile in the fall, the unit immediately responded by deploying assessment teams with engineer site survey teams to assess the living and environmental conditions of potential DOD sites. In many cases, the teams were the first on the ground, in austere conditions, to collect environmental health data and make recommendations to USARCENT.

"I'm so proud of these Soldiers, I'm beaming," said Maj. Alyson Malone, 223rd Med. Det. commander. "They did so well. Almost as soon as we arrived Operation Inherent Resolve kicked off and we spent most of the rotation in Iraq. At one point, we were the only preventive medicine assets for all of the country."

The 223rd Med. Det. also established partnerships with the Kuwaiti Ministry of Health's communicable diseases unit and infectious disease rapid response teams, therefore enhancing theater security cooperation efforts.

"It's absolutely amazing, I took command five-and-a-half months ago and knew part of my Army Family was deployed," said Col. Kimberlee Aiello, 10th CSH commander. "I get to finally meet them and put names with faces. It's great to have them home."