Heritage

MSgt Gina Lemaire 

“I love being an IDMT and proud to be a part of a career field that is based on honor, integrity and respect”

By TSgt Alexisa Humphrey

Why did you become an IDMT? 

• Becoming an IDMT was never part of my plan but something that fell in my lap. I was at an assignment where I felt trapped and was looking for something different that would get me out of the everyday grind of being in the clinic. At that point in my career I had been in seven years and the only thing I had experienced was the clinic. I feel that when you work in one clinic there is limited room for growth and learning something new. I made a split-second decision and submitted a package. This spilt second decision has changed the course of my career for the better. I love being an IDMT and proud to be a part of a career field that is based on honor, integrity and respect.  

Most interesting case? How did you come to the diagnosis? What did you do? Outcome? 

• The most interesting medical case I have encountered is when I was working in the ER and a 23-year-old tall, thin male presented to the front desk for shortness of breath. He stated he felt fine, hadn’t had any recent illnesses and no recent trauma. SPO2 was 91% on room air. My thoughts were, “that’s not horrible, but it’s not normal either”. On exam, I noticed that his neck looked swollen and felt like rice crispy. I listened to his lungs and he had diminished lung sounds on the left. I sent him for a chest x-ray where it was found that he had a collapsed lung and surgical emphysema (just a fancy diagnose to say air trapped in the subcutaneous tissue). From that point the ER physician took over his care. He ended up with a chest tube and a 3-day hospital stay and he fully recovered. 

What was your most rewarding assignment and why? 

• I have enjoyed every IDMT assignment that I’ve had the opportunity to be a part of. Every assignment has taught me something new about the career field, about myself and what type of SNCO I want to be. We all must remember, regardless of where we are stationed, we bring a unique skill set where we are always learning and building on our knowledge set.   

How many deployments have you been on as an IDMT? What are some major accomplishments during your deployments? During your deployments, what are some necessities an IDMT should bring with them? 

• I have been on five deployments over the last ten years as an IDMT. During one of my deployments we had an outbreak of the Norwalk Virus. Norwalk virus causes viral gastroenteritis, which is also known as acute nonbacterial gastroenteritis, food poisoning, food infection, stomach flu, and winter vomiting disease. A Norwalk virus infection results in illness 24 to 48 hours after exposure and symptoms last from 12-48 hours. I was working in the clinic at the time and in the waiting room we had 6 people waiting with complaints of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea that all started in the last 6 hours. With any deployment I have been on, there is always some type GI bug that goes around so I didn’t think too much of it until we had over 50 patients by lunch time. We were running out of medications, bathrooms and places to put people. We began the Public Health surveillance and determined the cause of the infection was being spread by the severing utensils at the chow hall. This outbreak lasted 5-6 weeks and it seemed like everyone on the base had it. It was so bad that the base was canceling missions because air crew was so sick. Biggest take away from this deployment was the importance of knowing the Public Health piece of being an IDMT. 

What drives you to go to work daily? 

• As an IDMT progresses in rank it becomes more difficult to focus on just being an IDMT. At this point in my career I want to leave the Air Force with the best medics possible. The Airmen around me is what drives me to be a better person, SNCO and mentor. If I am able to have a positive impact on just one Airman, then I feel I have done my job.  

What has been the greatest advice anyone has given you? What advice do you have for new or older IDMTs? 

• The greatest advice I have ever received is “never stop learning”. It is easy to become complacent as an IDMT, especially if you are assigned to a clinic. Things change drastically, you may find yourself as the only medic at a compound with hundreds of people, and you will have to fall back on your skill set. Fellow IDMT’s are you ready for that call? Take the time you’re not deployed and become the best version of yourself you can be.  

What are your philanthropic goals in the future? 

• In the future, I see myself continuing in the medical field as a nurse. I would like to continue being a part of something bigger that has the greatest impact on mankind.  

MSgt Lemaire is from San Diego, California and currently stationed at Shaw AFB.