By Tech. Sgt. Kelvin McConnell, 130th Airlift Wing

CHARLESTON W.Va. – Airmen from the 130th Airlift Wing’s Medical Group recently concluded a mission providing vital healthcare to underserved communities in Western Kentucky. From June 11-21, 2026, members participated in the National Guard Bureau’s Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) event, known as the Green River Area Wellness mission.

IRT is a Department of War initiative that pairs military training requirements with the needs of underserved American communities. The program allows Active, Guard and reserve service members to practice their wartime deployment skills by providing medical services free of cost.

More than 150 service members from diverse military branches collaborated to provide free dental, vision, and basic medical services, as well as sports physicals and nutritional counseling. By blending expertise across branches, the mission offered hands-on leadership and deployment readiness training designed to enhance survivability in complex contingency environments.

“This is where the Guard really shines,” said Col. Richard Switzer, 130th Airlift Wing commander. During a visit to the facilities, Switzer was impressed by the sheer volume of patients. “Citizen Airmen leveraging their military and civilian expertise to serve local communities where they are needed most. It’s really a testament to the flexibility and versatility of the National Guard”.

Among those serving at the North Middle School clinic in Henderson was Tech. Sgt. Dustin Millington, an aerospace medical technician from the 130th Medical Group. As the Triage non-commissioned officer, Millington led the personnel responsible for identifying patient needs and directing them to the appropriate medical offices.

“So far it’s been extremely busy in the mornings,” Millington noted, describing a constant rush from the moment doors opened until mid-afternoon.

As one of the first to see many of the patients coming into the clinic, Millington got to experience the rush every morning and see all the hard work the airmen around him were putting in.

When not managing triage, service members shifted to high-demand offices or completed additional training, ranging from Airmen Leadership School tasks to ride-along with local emergency services. Some members even had the opportunity to learn about veterinary services provided for wounded service animals.

For Millington, the grueling pace was outweighed by the community’s response. While it was difficult to measure who was more grateful, the patients or the service members, the hallways were filled with smiles as the two groups interacted. “I’m very humbled for the opportunity,” Millington said. “I’m thankful for my command allowing me to leave the great state of West Virginia to come to Kentucky and get to serve this community.”

The Green River Area Wellness event fostered growth through training and civilian-military partnerships. While the morning lines have dwindled and the clinic doors have closed, the profound impact of this global team will continue to be felt throughout the community.