LAMAT 2026: U.S. Air Force medics deliver care in the Amazon

Published April 30, 2026
By Staff Sgt. Joshua Hastings
Air Forces Southern

BROWNSWEG, Suriname --

U.S. Air Force medical teams are operating in a remote Amazonian environment, delivering care alongside Surinamese healthcare professionals while sharpening expeditionary readiness under real-world conditions.

Working from the Medische Zending Primary Health Care Center in Brownsweg, U.S. and Surinamese medical teams are executing Lesser Antilles Medical Assistance Team 2026, an Air Force Southern-led health security cooperation that expands access to care for local communities while building partner capacity and strengthening medical readiness across the region.

“Brownsweg is a big community, and there are also many people passing through - tourists, people from the timber industry and gold mining sector,” said Zr. Antomoi Jet, the lead nurse at MZ Brownsweg. “They all come here for help, so this is a particularly special clinic in the district.”

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Surinamese patients wait to be seen during a Lesser Antilles Medical Assistance Team 2026 mission at Medische Zending Primary Health Care Center in Brownsweg, Suriname, April 16, 2026. U.S. Air Force medical personnel provided dental, optometry and primary care services in support of high patient volumes, improving access to care while enhancing readiness and strengthening regional partnerships. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Joshua Hastings)

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U.S. Air Force Maj. Kelsey Geiger, 434th Aerospace Medicine Squadron dentist, right, and Tech. Sgt. Ryan Emrich, 434th AMDS dental assistant, left, perform a tooth extraction on a child during a Lesser Antilles Medical Assistance Team 2026 mission in Brownsweg, Suriname, April 15, 2026. U.S. Air Force medical personnel provided dental, optometry and primary care services in support of high patient volumes, improving access to care while enhancing readiness and strengthening regional partnerships. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Joshua Hastings)

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A Surinamese woman walks toward the Medische Zending Primary Health Care Center in Brownsweg, Suriname, during a Lesser Antilles Medical Assistance Team 2026 mission, April 15, 2026. LAMAT 2026 enhances readiness and partnerships by enabling U.S. and Surinamese providers to deliver side-by-side care while strengthening coordination in emergency medicine. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Joshua Hastings)

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A Surinamese man walks away from the Medische Zending Primary Health Care Center in Brownsweg, Suriname, after receiving care during a Lesser Antilles Medical Assistance Team 2026 mission, April 15, 2026. The mission is the second LAMAT engagement in Suriname, reinforcing continued partnership through medical collaboration, patient care, and knowledge exchange. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Joshua Hastings)

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Surinamese patients walk toward the Medische Zending Primary Health Care Center in Brownsweg, Suriname, during a Lesser Antilles Medical Assistance Team 2026 mission, April 15, 2026. LAMAT 2026 strengthens collaboration between U.S. Air Force medical teams and Ministry of Health providers across medical facilities in Suriname. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Joshua Hastings)

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Surinamese patients walk toward the Medische Zending Primary Health Care Center in Brownsweg, Suriname, during a Lesser Antilles Medical Assistance Team 2026 mission, April 15, 2026. The mission is the second LAMAT engagement in Suriname, reinforcing continued partnership through medical collaboration, patient care, and knowledge exchange. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Joshua Hastings)

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Surinamese healthcare professionals begin the workday with a morning ritual and songs at Medische Zending Primary Health Care Center in Brownsweg, Suriname, April 15, 2026. LAMAT 2026 strengthens collaboration between U.S. Air Force medical teams and Ministry of Health providers across medical facilities in Suriname. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Joshua Hastings)

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Located in Suriname’s Brokopondo district, within the Amazon rainforest, the clinic serves a wide population from surrounding villages and transient workers. During the first week of LAMAT 2026, U.S. Air Force medical personnel treated 410 patients.

“They helped the community a great deal,” Jet said. “The demand is high, especially for people with eye problems. Many people wanted to visit the optician and did receive help here at the clinic. Other people came to see the doctor for different complaints. So, it’s been a very significant and valuable contribution for the people.”

The LAMAT mission is fueled by the power of collaboration, where U.S. and partner nation forces unite behind a common purpose - to strengthen collective readiness and to deliver tangible benefits for communities.

“The work at Brownsweg is the culmination of months of collaboration and partnership with our host nation providers,” said Lt. Col. Preeti Jois, LAMAT 2026 mission commander. “What our doctors, dentists and support staff are doing now is only possible because of the generous dedication of time, coordination and commitment to knowledge exchange from our partners in Suriname.”

Of those treated, 155 patients received eye exams to assess their ocular health.

“I have been able to help [these] patients see better and help them read, patients that have not been able to read their entire life and give them something as simple as a basic reader,” said Lt. Col. Bret Lehman, 434th Aerospace Medicine Squadron optometrist. “This has been very rewarding to me to be able to help people in this area that might not have access to care, either because of where they live or because of financial resources.”

In addition, 180 patients received primary care services, including health assessments and prescribed medications as needed. More than 70 patients were treated for dental needs, receiving comprehensive oral evaluations, cleanings, oral hygiene education and extractions.

“In the United States, care is accessible and people can choose which providers they see,” said Maj. Kelsey Geiger, 434th AMDS dentist. “The people here don’t really have that option. So as a healthcare provider, I am trying to give them the best possible care I can in the scenarios we are given here. They have been super thankful, and we are grateful to provide that care for them.”

Geiger also highlighted the human impact of the mission through patient interaction. A young girl visiting the clinic shared that she hopes to become a doctor someday but became nervous when it was time for her dental exam, prompting Geiger to switch roles with her.

“I sat in the chair, and she acted like the dentist for me,” Geiger said. “I was telling her how she can feel for cavities. After I was the patient for a bit, she felt much more comfortable with me checking out her teeth. By the end of the appointment, she was actually a little upset that she didn’t have any cavities.”

Beyond patient care, the mission at MZ Brownsweg also enables the LAMAT team to apply expeditionary medical skills in a diverse, resource limited environment and strengthen readiness to practice medicine anytime, anywhere.

U.S. Air Force medical personnel will continue working in Brownsweg through the final week of LAMAT 2026, while also supporting additional sites across the country.