Hundreds of military members are descending on Kodiak Archipelago communities this week to provide no-cost healthcare services to local residents. It’s part of a national training program called Arctic Care.
A partnership between Kodiak Area Native Association and the U.S. Department of Defense brings Arctic Care to the island every other May. Nichole Miles, the vice president of public affairs for KANA, said this is at least the tenth time Arctic Care has come to Kodiak that she knows of.
Lt. Anneth George is the officer in charge for this year’s Arctic Care in Kodiak. She said military members are coming to the island from an Air Force Base in Oklahoma, Lackland Air Force Base in Texas and the Delaware National Guard.
“Besides that there are, I want to say, over 50 different units from different states, different locations, some on the east coast, all coming to participate in this joint mission," George said.
Roughly 250 military members total, consisting of active duty, Air Force reserves and National Guard members will be spread across Kodiak and five other communities in the archipelago over the next week or so. Their visit to rural Alaska, which is the first time many of the military members have ever been to Kodiak, is an opportunity for joint training and to increase deployment readiness, according to the Department of Defense's Innovative Readiness Training program.
Arctic Care units will be providing medical, dental, optometry, behavioral health services, and nutrition for Kodiak only, at no cost.
Medical services in Kodiak and surrounding communities will start on a delayed schedule according to KANA, due to some military equipment arriving later than expected.
Services are scheduled to begin in Kodiak on Sunday, May 10, and in Port Lions, Ouzinkie, Akhiok, Old Harbor and Larsen Bay starting next week. Karluk was included in the 2024 Arctic Care program, but is not participating this year.
Arctic Care offered veterinarian services when the program came to Kodiak Island in 2024. But this year the military forces did not bring a veterinary unit with them. Nichole Miles, the vice president of public affairs for KANA, said the military only offers a few veterinary units for Arctic Care missions around the country, and they are all volunteer.
“We apply for it every year," Miles said. "It’s something that we know our community needs and they want, and we’ll continue to add it to our applications. And this year it just simply was not available.”
For the latest information about this month’s Arctic Care or to schedule an appointment, go online to kodiakhealthcare.org/arctic-care or call (907) 942-6294.
Medical services will be available in Kodiak on May 10-18, at the Kodiak Armory, in the communities of Port Lions, Ouzinkie and Akhiok from May 11- 15, and in Old Harbor and Larsen Bay from May 12-16.
