On Sunday, members of the U.S. Department of Defense’s Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) team began preparations for Operation Healthy Broome. As part of this initiative, service members from the Army, Air Force, and Navy collaborate with community partners to provide free medical services to those in need across the country.
The free medical program will be open to the public from August 11th to 20th at the State University of New York’s Broome Ice Center. Services include optometry, behavioral health, and veterinary care, all supported by the Humane Society.
“We provide sports physicals for children ages 6 and up, and routine health exams for youth ages 16 and up,” said U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Kate Carvin. The program opens daily at 8:00 a.m. and begins at 9:00 a.m. on a first-come, first-served basis.
This will be Sergeant Katie Delaney’s first time with the IRT team. She said it’s not only a great opportunity for service members to showcase their skills, but also a valuable experience serving the community in a unique way.
Delaney shared with 12 News, “Every year we go through readiness training, and this time we’re applying what we’ve learned to the real world, directly helping the community.”
She feels a deep sense of pride and responsibility: “Many service members haven’t experienced actual combat deployments yet, and now we’re able to give back to the community with what we’ve learned, which is incredibly meaningful.”
According to the Department of Defense website, the IRT team provides vital medical services to tens of thousands of patients each year, continuously contributing to community health.
