Office of Public Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard
  2009 Arctic Crossroads
News Release Date: Aug. 12, 2009
Contact: Petty Officer David Mosley
Phone: (907) 321-4510

Coast Guard, medical personnel reach out to the village of Koyuk

In this photo released by the Coast Guard, the community of Kivalina, Alaska is shown. Coast Guard and military personnel in an outreach program to foster understanding and relations, as well as provide essential medical and veterinary services visited Kivalina a community of 400, with half of the community under the age of 18. (Coast Guard photo/ Lt. Cdr. Micheal McNeil)   In this photo released by the Coast Guard, an Air National Guard HH-60 Pavehawk helicopter helps transport Coast Guard and military personnel in an outreach program to foster understanding and relations, as well as provide essential medical and veterinary services to Kivalina, Alaska. (Coast Guard photo/ Lt. Cdr. Micheal McNeil)   In this photo released by the Coast Guard, Air Force Lt. Col. Huey Frye performs an eye exam on Isabelle Booth, a Kivalina, Alaska native. Frye is an optometrist for the Air National Guard. (Coast Guard photo/Petty Officer 3rd Class Jon-Paul Rios)   In this photo released by the Coast Guard, Air National Guard Capt. Rhonda Ellison and Maj. Mike Lewis are escorted by the children of Kivalina, Alaska. Ellison and Lewis were taken by the children to houses in the village with pets in need of veterinarian care. (Coast Guard photo/Petty Officer 3rd Class Jon-Paul Rios)

Official Coast Guard photos courtesy of Operation Arctic Crossroads

NOME, Alaska — Operation Arctic Crossroads continues Wednesday with medical teams continuing community outreach efforts in Koyuk and on the North Slope.

A 12-member team, made up of a doctor, an optometrist, two veterinarians and support personnel visiting the village of Koyuk. Also visiting Koyuk today are two Coast Guard Auxiliary members conducting water safety outreach programs there.

The operations second arm continues its outreach on the North Slope, with a U.S. Public Health Services Veterinarian and a Coast Guard Health Services Petty Officer traveling to Wainwright from Barrow for a three day outreach there.

Today’s outreach efforts are a continuation of yesterday’s kick off operations to the village of Kivalina.  In Kivalina, the doctor examined 28 patients, the optometrist evaluated the eyesight of 18 villagers, while the two veterinarians treated 36 animals in a door to door outreach.

“The effort was a success today, the community of Kivalina was extremely receptive to the outreach efforts of the Coast Guard and the military doctors,” said Joel Casto, tribal liaison for the 17th Coast Guard District.  “We hope for continued success as we reach out daily to the local communities.”

In Barrow, the veterinarian and Coast Guard Petty Officer also reached out to the community and treated twenty animals there in two days.

Operation Arctic Crossroads is a community outreach across northern Alaska, in an effort to integrate local knowledge with military expertise to meet the many challenges of Arctic operations. The operation is made up of members from the, Coast Guard, U.S. Air Force, Army National Guard, Air National Guard and U.S. Public Health Services.

The Coast Guard Auxiliary is the voluntary arm of the service.  It is made up a men and women who freely give their time to help the Coast Guard educate the public about boating and water safety.

The Coast Guard invites members of the media aboard an Arctic Domain Awareness flight from Anchorage to Nome, Aug. 17 for a press brief to be held with Adm. Thad Allen, Commandant U.S. Coast Guard.  Media interested in participating should contact the 17th District External Affairs office at (907) 463-2065.

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