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Scott first stop for humanitarian cargo 375th LRS prepares medical equipment for use in Argentina

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Amber Kelly-Woodward
  • 375th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
Aerial port operators from the 375th Logisitics Readiness Squadron loaded a Globemaster C-17 with Magnetic Resonance Imaging cargo to be transported to Charleston AFB, S.C., and then onto Argentina as part of a humanitarian effort Monday. 

The MRI unit was donated from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Mo., to Bedoya Hospital in northwestern Argentina to be used by more than six million people in Jujuy, Salta, Catamarca, western Tucumán, Santiago del Estero and southern Bolivia. 

"I received a phone call from Charleston Air Force Base asking if we would like to participate in the Denton program," said Tech. Sgt. Rager, 375th LRS aerial port operator NCOIC. "I was excited to take part in it because I have never done it nor had the opportunity to be involved in one." 

The Denton Amendment allows donors to use space available on U.S. military cargo aircraft to transport humanitarian goods and equipment to countries in need. 

Transporting the $1.5 million device is not easy. 

"I've probably put more than 80 hours into making this happen; it takes a lot of planning, career field knowledge and experience to get the MRI unit to Argentina," said Sergeant Rager. "The accessories are ready to go, but it was difficult to find the proper crating, packaging and tie down procedures. It's basically a 20,000 pound great big magnet that is round." 

Sergeant Rager had concerns as to how to safely tie down the unit without damaging it. Another concern was would the magnet affect the aircraft landing ability, but Washington University was able to confirm that the MRI unit is only magnetic with electricity. 

Sergeant Rager enlisted help from aerial delivery engineers at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, who created a special crate based off of Sergeant Rager's design for the MRI unit. 

"Washington University could have given the MRI unit to any other hospital in the U.S. but they were looking out for the people in Argentina, which is why I became interested." said Sergeant Rager. "The U.S. Air Force is not just here to fight a war and do a daily mission, but we are helping people in other countries. It makes you feel good about being in the Air Force. The morale in my entire shop has also been affected." 

The Fundacion de Lucha contra los Trastornos Neurologicos y Psiquiatricos en Minorias in conjunction with Bedoya Hospital, a non-profit, non-government foundation for psychiatric and neurological care of minorities in Argentina, will ensure facilities for the indigenous people of Argentina. They will also benefit from the MRI by being able to perform research projects. A contract with Siemens Argentina has also been established to secure the technology and provide support and maintenance of the equipment on site. 

"This is wonderful, it is the only way to possibly get it done," said Dr. Gabriel de Erausquin, Washington University School of Medicine associate professor. "We have been working on this project for two years to help the native people in Argentina, but we met a roadblock because there was no commercial way of getting the equipment to them. Finally we are able to do it, I could not be more thankful."