AMTU aids wih medical challenges

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Amber Carter
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  If we compared David Grant USAF Medical Center at Travis Air Force Base, California, to a beehive, the Airman Medical Transition Unit would be a crew of helper bees.

The AMTU provides oversight and supervision of active duty members through the recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration phases of care.

"Imagine an Airman overseas getting really sick or getting hurt, like in a car accident and sustaining a brain injury and their base can't provide the medical services needed to take care of that patient," said Staff Sgt. Amanda Evachek, AMTU NCO in charge. "They are then transported to an AMTU."

Previously known as the patient squadron, AMTU is a small group of people with a big mission, providing support and helping wounded warriors transition, whether it is back into their daily lives as Airmen or back into the civilian world.

"They come from a variety of career fields and become part of the medical support squadron," Evachek said. "My job is to make sure they can go to their appointments and they are getting the help and support they need."

Another part of the services AMTU provides is helping with the medical evaluation board.

"I brief them, get their packages together and send the packages to the Air Force Personnel Center," Evachek said. "Not every person who goes through a med board gets discharged. We are here to help them through the process."

AMTUs goal is to make sure that the Airmen who have to be sent to them are taken care of to the full extent.

"It is a very stressful and uncertain time for AMTU members so we do everything we can to make their time here as smooth as possible," said 1st Lt. Kristen Shay, Tricare Operations/Patient Administration deputy flight commander. "For example, we transport patients to appointments, educate them on available resources for both them and their families (Airman and Family Readiness Center, Chaplain etc), and resolve personal issues (with Finance, lodging etc)."

To make sure that the AMTU patients are getting all of the information they need, AMTU holds roll call meetings on the last Friday of every month with guest speakers from various departments around the base such as the chaplain's office and the military and family life consultants program.

"Use the information and the resources that are being provided to you," Evachek said. "The transition is hard enough and if there are people who are willing to help, take the help. It will make a world of difference."

For more information about the AMTU, call the on-call phone at 410-8566.