YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan -- The 374th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron hosted informational events to ‘center and celebrate cultures in health’ in recognition of National Public Health Week, April 3-7.
The first week of April was declared National Public Health Week in 1995 to highlight contributions made by public health professionals and to shine a light on issues that could potentially affect the nation.
“Public health has a role in every aspect of healthcare,” said Staff Sgt. Miguel Buenaflor, 374th OMRS public health non-commissioned officer in-charge. “This week, we are educating the base population on what we do and providing them with tools and information they can apply to their daily lives. Each day, the topic and audience we target is different, and this is how we are capturing this year’s theme.”
The public health team traveled to different squadrons to host classes about reproductive health, domestic violence prevention in conjunction with mental health providers, and held food safety classes at different dining establishments on-base.
“As public health, one of our core missions is prevention,” said Master Sgt. Silvia Garcia, 374th OMRS public health flight chief. “The events we are hosting this week are critical to preventing potential problems and help us promote a healthy and fit force.”
The team also hosted a class with Boy Scouts of America Troop 45 to help them earn their Public Health Merit Badge, signifying that they understand the impact of maintaining and monitoring the health of their community.
“I’m absolutely proud of my Airmen,” said Garcia. “They provided information on who we are, why we’re essential, and most importantly, illustrated professionalism, leadership, and selfless service.