DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. -- Not only did Dover reservists set off to join the East Central Georgia Innovative Readiness Training mission and help provide over 21,000 procedures to residents in need, they distinguished themselves and the 512th Airlift Wing as outstanding performers.
“One of our 512th (AW) reservists, Senior Airman Sheryl Leavell, was recognized as the best dental worker of the IRT,” said Maj. John Rundle, 512th Aerospace Medicine Squadron administrator at Dover Air Force Base, Del. “The best Airmen are the type of Airmen the 512th produces.”
Rundle, who served as the ECG IRT officer in charge during the mission, said all seven of Dover’s reservists did a phenomenal job and distinguished visitors were able to recognize four of them and coin them.
Among the 512th AW medical and dental professionals recognized for excellence were, Col. Clifford Zdanowicz, Staff Sgts. Ashly Eisinger and Dina Bell and Senior Airman Sheryl Leavell,
In total, the ECG IRT was a 139-man mission including total force servicemembers from various units and civilian support staff who built clinics at five sites spanning 300 miles across Georgia.
Over the course of eight days, the medical staff performed procedures for more than 3,300 patients saving the communities of Georgia over $1.4 million in medical expenses.
Kenneth L. Usry, mayor of Thomson, Georgia, expressed his gratitude for the IRT program and was certain the teams made a lasting difference.
“The community salutes you for the superb job you have done here,” said Usry. “As mayor of that community, all I can say is thank you, thank you, thank you.”
Rundle said he believes opportunities like IRTs is the reason service members sign up to serve their country.
“IRTs instill a sense of purpose,” he said. “That’s what it’s all about. The 512th (AW) reservists were excited to be there, and I’m sure seeing the grateful faces of the community residents for all their hard work re-blued them.”
(Maj. John T. Stamm, 445 Airlift Wing Public Affairs, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, contributed to this story.)