State vet serves in Kodiak Island mission

Kathy Davis
Communications

Dr. Joseph, right, with mission
colleague and canine patient. 

When several military units descended on Kodiak Island, Alaska in late March, it was a win-win-win operation. WSDA’s state veterinarian, Dr. Brian Joseph, was among those who participated in the Arctic Care 2017 mission to Alaska. 

The villages in the Kodiak area have little access to medical, dental, optometry and veterinarian care. The seasonal economy means many residents work in fisheries, canning or tourism and lack the financial resources to afford these services. For example, vet care is unavailable unless residents pay to have animals flown to other locations.  

Enter Arctic Care, an Innovative Readiness Training Operation, to both support the underserved native and Alaskan population and provide training to reservists in several branches of the military. 

“It’s an opportunity to use our skills in an austere environment and practice delivering health care in the event of disaster or conflict,” said Dr. Joseph. “It’s not like being at home. We lived in field tents on Kodiak Island, with gale-force winds, working with people we’d just met.”

As a member of the Army Reserve Veterinary Service, he has been on a number of these missions, in Africa, the Middle East and Central America. 

In total during the Alaska operation, the vet team performed 1,625 veterinary procedures on 493 dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs and one pig, including: 
- 252 dogs and 39 cats immunized against rabies.
- 521 other vaccinations administered.
- 53 spay or neuter surgeries.
- 123 deworming procedures.

Dr. Joseph noted that getting to know the people was as important as providing care to their animals. Deployed personnel learned about the residents’ stories, such as those of the many immigrants who work in the local canneries. One person told Dr. Joseph of a son who aspired to attend a military academy, so the doctor has written letters to senators recommending the young man. 

“This is the reason I joined the military – to do humanitarian missions like this,” he said.

To learn more about Arctic Care 2017, including videos (some featuring Dr. Joseph), check out the mission’s Facebook page.

In summary: WSDA's own Dr. Brian Joseph took part in a humanitarian mission, providing veterinary care in the Kodiak Island, Alaska area. Reserves from several military units gained training and residents accessed health care services through Arctic Care 2017.