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USAF EC senior NCO ensures deployed members are medically ready for the fight

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol
  • 380th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  At his home unit of the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center, Master Sgt. Colby Bowers has taught thousands of Airmen the importance of being medically prepared for anything on a deployment. Now, the combat first aid instructor and independent duty medical technician is deployed himself keeping Airmen and others well in continuing the deployed mission.

Sergeant Bowers is an Air Force IDMT assigned with the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron at a non-disclosed base in Southwest Asia. He is deployed from the Expeditionary Center's 421st Combat Training Squadron at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.

As an IDMT, Sergeant Bowers said he has many responsibilities while deployed. In addition to working in the 908th EARS medical element, he also supports caring for service members throughout the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing with the 380th Expeditionary Medical Group.

"I am considered a provider and see patients during sick call," said Sergeant Bowers, whose hometown is West Palm Beach, Fla. "I also work with public health and conduct food and facility inspections to the local eateries on base. Additionally, I work with bioenvironmental and conduct water inspections along with occupational inspections of workplaces."

Primarily, Sergeant Bowers is assigned to the 908th EARS to support the medical needs of all flight crew for the KC-10 Extender unit. He said he keeps busy with all the work the medical staff has to do every day.

"With all the medical Airmen here, they are all highly-skilled medical technicians supporting the care of thousands of personnel," Sergeant Bowers said. "I'm blessed to have so many great people to work with in a deployed location. They all are dedicated to their profession of keeping our warfighters fit-to-fight."

In deployed areas, IDMTs like Sergeant Bowers offer a degree of flexibility wherever they're deployed in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.

"My career field is important in a deployed environment as it enables a smaller medical footprint in forward areas, but still maintain the capabilities needed to get the mission done," Sergeant Bowers said. "An example would be a forward operating base in Afghanistan. There, a small number of personnel may be assigned and a full-up clinic is not needed, but a medical presence is. An IDMT is trained to fill this need."

In joining the military, Sergeant Bowers said he believes he's made the right decision to make it career.

"Serving in the Air Force has been the best decision I've made in my life," Sergeant Bowers said. "I joined right out of high school and wanted to experience new adventures. I continue to serve because I believe in being a part of something bigger than one's self and I am lucky to serve alongside some of the best and brightest people our nation has to offer."

And this current deployment is not the first time he's been sent to support contingency operations. "I will have almost 1,100 days deployed at the end of this deployment -- my eighth," Sergeant Bowers said. "Some of my best memories in the Air Force come from my deployments."

When he redeploys back to JB MDL in New Jersey, Sergeant Bowers said he'll have more first-hand deployment experience he can use to pass on to his students who go to the Expeditionary Center for pre-deployment training.

"At the Expeditionary Center, we strive for excellence with every class and with every student," Sergeant Bowers said. "We want them to be able to deploy with the basic knowledge they need to carry on with their deployed mission in case something happens. My experience here always helps give the students the latest knowledge of what they might expect while deployed."

The 380th EMDG is a sub-unit of the 380th AEW. The wing is home to the KC-10 Extender, U-2 Dragon Lady, E-3 Sentry and RQ-4 Global Hawk aircraft. The wing is comprised of four groups and 12 squadrons and the wing's deployed mission includes air refueling, surveillance, and reconnaissance in support of overseas contingency operations in Southwest Asia. The 380th AEW supports operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom and the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.