BANGKOK (Nov. 29, 2011) -- With less than four days of notice, an Eighth Army medical assessment team deployed to Thailand to conduct a health assessment in the flood-stricken country.
The 10-person team, made up of medical and veterinary professionals from Eighth Army's 65th Medical Brigade, is supporting the Okinawa, Japan-based III Marine Expeditionary Force's Flood Relief Control Element.
The Eighth Army team has an Army public health nurse, veterinarians, preventive medicine specialists, veterinary food inspection specialists, an entomologist, an environmental science officer and a combat medic.
"Our job is to conduct assessments with the specific focus on public health risk areas to support the Thai military's flood relief and recovery operations," said Capt. Silas A. Davidson, an entomologist from the 65th Medical Brigade.
From their base in Bangkok, the team has conducted preventive medicine and veterinary medicine assessments around the country.
They visited three shelters that housed around 500 displaced residents and met with Thai veterinary officials.
The team also cleaned a local school and a temple during a visit to the hard hit Lopburi Province.
Davidson said Royal Thai Air Force officials want to continue to collaborate with U.S. military forces in preparation for future disaster relief operations.
According to Davidson, the highlight of the mission has been the hospitality of the Thai people.
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