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WEBVTT HEY'REGETTING CRITICAL COMBATREADINESS TRAINING AT THE SAMETIME.>> THEY ARE ABOUT THE PEOPLE.THAT'S WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANTTHING THERE IS.THEY CARE ABOUT THE PEOPLE. HEATH: JOSEAN IRIZARRY HAD NOIDEA HE WAS WALKING TO AMILITARY OPERATION, WHEN HEBROUGHT HIS FAMILY IN FORNO-COST MEDICAL TREATMENT AT ACLINIC SET UP IN THE AMITE HIGHSCHOOL>> SOME PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORDTHIS, YOU KNOW. HEATH: RESIDENTS HERE INTANGIPAHOA PARISH RECEIVE FREEMEDICAL, DENTAL, AND EYESCREENINGS THROUGH JULY 22.THIS LOUISIANA CARES CLINIC,PART OF THE MILITARY'SINNOVATIVE READINESS TRAININGPROGRAM, LITERALLY PREPPINGMEDICAL PERSONNEL FOR WARTIMEMISSIONS, WHILE AT THE SAMETIME, TAKING CARE OF THEUNDERSERVED.>> WE'RE SETTING UP A CLINIC ANDWE ARE DOING THIS IN A CALMENVIRONMENT, NOT IN A COMBATENVIRONMENT, SO THAT WE CANLEARN IF WE ARE PROVIDING THECORRECT LOGISTICS. >> WHEN I'M ABLE TO FILL A NEEDLIKE THIS, GIVE MY TIME TOPEOPLE IN NEED, IT'S JUST ONE OFTHE GREATEST FEELINGS I COULDEVER HAVE. HEATH: THE SERVICES ARE PROVIDEDTHROUGH THE DELTA REGIONALAUTHORITY, MATCHING THE MEDICALTEAMS TO THE UNDERSERVED AREAS.ANY RESIDENT CAN PARTICIPATE. >> SOMEBODY TAKING CARE OF YOU.YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW THESE PEOPLEBUT THEY ARE COMING IN ANDHELPING YOU OUT.IT'S WELL APPRECIATED. >> WE'RE DEFINITELY IN AN AREAOF HIGH NEED FOR THOSE SERVICEHEATH: THE MILITARY GETS ITSTRAINING, THE COMMUNITY GETSMUCH NEEDED MEDICAL SCREENINGS,AND THEY BOND.>> ALL OF THEM SO SWEET, THEYARE SO NICE.THEY ARE.IT'S NICE. HEATH: NOT YOUR NORMALOPERATION, PERHAPS, BUTCERTAINLY A SUCCESSFUL MILITARY

Advertisement Delta Regional Authority opens 3 no-cost medical, dental clinics through July 22 Team with military medical personnel for Innovative Readiness Training Share Shares Copy Link Copy

A military operation -- of sorts -- is underway now in three parishes across southeast Louisiana. The military has teamed with the Delta Regional Authority to provide no-cost medical services in St. John the Baptist, Assumption and Tangipahoa parishes.The clinics run through July 22.The goal of the operation is twofold: Provide important combat-readiness training for military medical personnel and offer medical screenings for the underserved.For people in the Amite area, the IRT (Innovative Readiness Training) clinic is welcome."They are about the people," Josean Irizarry said. "That's what is most important thing there is. They care about the people."Irizarry had no idea he was walking into a military operation when he brought his whole family in for the no-cost medical screening set up at Amite High School."Some people can't afford this, you know," Irizarry said.Residents in Tangipahoa receive free medical, dental and eye screenings in the Louisiana Cares clinic. While helping the underserved, military medical personnel prep for wartime missions."We're setting up a clinic and we are doing this in a calm environment, not in a combat environment, so that we can learn if we are providing the correct logistics," Navy Lt. Commander Lisa Kumagai said."When I'm able to fill a need like this, give my time to people in need, it's just one of the greatest feelings I could ever have," Air Force Senior Airman Brendan Sullivan said.The services are provided through the Delta Regional Authority who matches the medical teams with the underserved areas. Any resident can participate and no identification or insurance is needed to get treatment."South Louisiana residents will benefit from the unique partnership that the Delta Regional Authority has with our men and women in uniform, who volunteer their time and services to help their fellow Americans," said DRA chairman Chris Masingill."Somebody taking care of you. You don't even know these people but they are coming in and helping you out. It's well appreciated," Thomas Giluso, of Tickfaw, said."We're definitely in an area of high need for those services," Dr. Gina Lagarde, of the Office of Public Health, said.The military gets its training and the community get much-needed medical screenings. It's a different way to get to know the military."All of them so sweet, they are so nice. Yeah, there are. It's nice," Laura Johnson,of Independence, said.While it is not a run-of-the-mill operation, it is certainly a successful military campaign.Here are the three clinic locations: Amite High School, 403 S. Laurel St., Amite; Assumption Parish Community Center, 4910 Louisiana 308, Napoleonville; and East St. John High School, 1 Wildcat Drive, Reserve.The no-cost clinics are open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis.Keep up with local news, weather and current events with the WDSU app here. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news right in your inbox. Click here to sign up!