Ohio National Guard GuardCare 2009

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio National Guard, together with the Ohio Department of Health, the Preble County Health Department, and Eaton Community Schools will provide free health services to Ohio residents in Preble County during two weekends in August through a cooperative program called GuardCare.

This year, GuardCare, an Ohio National Guard program that provides free health services while contributing to the Ohio National Guard's medical training readiness, will be offered the weekends of Aug. 8-9 and Aug. 15-16 at Eaton High School, 600 Hillcrest Drive, Eaton, Ohio. GuardCare is hosted each year in a different medically underserved Ohio community. Services are free to all Ohio residents who attend, regardless of income.

 “We are pleased to be able to bring medical services to the residents of Preble County and Ohio,” said Maj. Gen. Gregory L. Wayt, Ohio adjutant general.  “It is another opportunity to serve the citizens of Ohio.”

Free services will include: Child and adult physicals with BMI (vitals, urinalysis), sports physicals, childhood and adult immunizations (bring shot records), adult hearing and vision testing, dental screenings, lab work (CBC/DIFF, lipid profile, TSH, glucose, CMP), PAP testing, lead testing for children and HIV testing.

1st.Sgt. Robert Cahill, of the Ohio National Guard’s medical command, said attendees would be able to pick and choose from the health care services available.

“If someone wants just an immunization, they can get just that,” Cahill said. “If someone wants to visit all the medical stations, they can do that, too.”

Through GuardCare, Ohio National Guard medical personnel support and assist local health care providers; they do not replace them.  The support meets an existing need and provides National Guard medical personnel with valuable and realistic training.

The Ohio National Guard initiated the GuardCare program in 1995 after Congress authorized the use of military personnel in medically underserved communities as part of the Department of Defense’s Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) program.

GuardCare Flyer 2009...pdf

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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: James A. Sims II, Ohio Adjutant General’s Department, at (614) 336-7126 or the Preble County Health Department at 937-472-0087.