Air Force medic helps ailing African villagers Published April 1, 2009 By Master Sgt. Kimberly A. Yearyean-Siers 59th Medical Wing Public Affairs LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Grab your bags! Your medical skills are needed in a third-world country to provide humanitarian relief. This is an all too familiar call to the military medical professional. Yet, somehow this call to Staff Sgt. Andrea Mosca was different. The call was not from her military unit, but from the church she attended while stationed in Germany. The minister was coordinating a good will mission to the Village of Hope, West Ghana, Africa, in December 2008 and needed someone with medical experience and skills. "I jumped at the opportunity to be part of something like this," said Sergeant Mosca, medical technician, 59th Medical Inpatient Squadron. "Not only did I think this trip would be an excellent opportunity to mirror a deployment, but I wanted to be part of something bigger, and to utilize my skills as a med tech in a place of desperate need." While the minister made the arrangements and got the approval from the village chief, Sergeant Mosca started checking with her military chain of command to determine what she would have to do to go on the trip. On the advice of an emergency room doctor that worked with her husband, she requested a permissive temporary duty assignment and was approved to go. After arriving in Africa, Sergeant Mosca worked during the day in the village clinic performing various tasks such as working in the pharmacy, triaging patients, treating a wide variety of symptoms, and completing administrative duties. Her knowledge, medical experience and determination to give each person quality care helped save the lives of patients who would have died without her help. "This clinic, like most in this region and around Africa, does not have a regular doctor on schedule," said Sergeant Mosca. "What they do have is outdated medication, lack of funds, and only the support of those willing to travel to help these wonderful children." When not in the clinic, she spent time with the children playing, talking to them about her culture and learning about theirs. "They were curious about my life, the United States and what it was like being a woman in the Air Force," said Sergeant Mosca. "We talked about their misconception about the U.S. and how the Air Force had made a difference in my life, teaching me some of the skills that I was using in the village." She plans to return to Village of Hope each year to continue in the efforts to extend not only excellent healthcare, but a helping hand and a smile to the people that have so little. "It was the most awesome experience, yet a very humbling one. We take so much for granted in the United States," said Sergeant Mosca. "The medical knowledge I gained, the increased confidence and compassion for my career, and the ability to adapt and overcome obstacles will be useful tools if I ever get the chance to deploy."