Colorado Air National Guard members support 9Health Fair

  • Published
  • By Senior Master Sgt. John Rohrer
  • 140th Wing Public Affairs
DENVER, Colo. --  Members from the Colorado Air National Guard's 233d Space Group, Greeley, Colo., load boxes of medical supplies into one of their vehicles in support of the 9 Health Fair February 24 as part of a mutually beneficial training program. 

The support the 233 SG gives to the health fair helps the organization disperse needed medical supplies to 62 sites statewide, reaching all four corners of the state. Simultaneously, this provides an opportunity for members of the 233 SG to accrue hours behind the wheel of their rigs, which helps fulfill annual training requirements.

"We provide logistical support for the 9Health program through the use of some of our support equipment trailers," said Col. Thomas Mckenna, commander, 233d Space Group. "We deliver supplies outside the Denver Metro Area while the Army National Guard delivers inside Denver."

This type of training conducted in conjunction with providing support to the community is known as Innovative Readiness Training.

According to McKenna, "IRT's provide real-world training opportunities for service members and units to prepare them for their wartime missions while also supporting the needs of communities. We have a mission that requires our members to drive big trucks and this provides us with the opportunity to maintain our proficiency and train new drivers."

The Colorado National Guard has been involved in the 9 Health Fair since its inception in 1980 and has helped it to become so successful.

The 9 Health Fair, with help from contributors such as the 233 SG, has helped save thousands of lives by providing free and low-cost health awareness and educational screenings. To date, 9Health Fair is the only program of its magnitude and has become a community institution as a result of the National Health Screening Council for Volunteer Organizations initiative.

If you are interested in volunteering, anyone 18 and older can participate in a 9Health Fair.  Check out their website, www.9healthfair.org, to learn more.