The Department of Defense and the Texas A&M Colonias Program are collaborating to improve communities in Webb County by providing free medical services and repairing infrastructure.
Captain Rolando Ortiz assists Lucio Torres with helping him find the right prescription for his glasses as part of the Operation Health & Wellness in collaboration with Texas A& Colonias Program, Army Reserve and Webb County at Larga Vista Community Center. The 7458th Medical Backfield Battalion in collaboration with the Texas A& systems provided medical, dental, and optometry services to the patients that arrived at the center.
Ulysses S. Romero/Laredo Morning Times
It took two years of planning to make Operation Health and Wellness a reality. The Texas A&M Colonias Program-led operation, done in collaboration with the U.S. Army Reserve, Navy and Webb County, serves as a training exercise for the Department of Defense.
These entities came together to bring long-term sustainability to various communities. The end goal is the improve the quality of life for colonia residents.
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A colonia is defined as an unincorporated community living without one or more major infrastructures such as electricity, paved roads, storm drainage, sewage systems, access to potable water and Internet.
The Texas A&M Colonias Program and the Department of Defense’s Innovative Readiness Training are overseeing the two major sites located in La Presa and El Cenizo. The training is a civilian-military program that consists of military personnel providing services to communities in need all across the U.S. Any city can apply via the Department of Defense website.
The training helps strengthen ties between U.S. military forces and civilians and encourages operations that are mutually beneficial.
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“This allows (U.S. troops) to train in an environment where they actually have to do their army job and train for missions around the world and at the same time we can help communities that are in need,” said Maj. Matthew Morris, who is also a dentist.
The U.S. Army Reserve and U.S. Navy have four medical mission sites set up across Webb County. They are located in El Cenizo, Santa Teresita, Las Penitas and Larga Vista community centers. The medical services center at El Cenizo offers free dental, medical and optometry services and has received over 300 patients in the last three days. It also offers educational lectures that cover topics such as nutrition, oral hygiene, diabetes and stress management.
The military medical support unit is composed of nurses, dental assistants, dentists, doctors and ophthalmologists. Services will run until June 29.
The project currently being conducted at La Presa is one of the two engineering sites in Webb County and is part of the Horizontal Engineer Core Competency Training. It is being completed by the 227th Engineer Company out of San Antonio. Troops receive practical, valuable training as they repair a 2.5-mile stretch of roadway that serves as access for over 400 residents in that region.
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This is the main road in the community. Because it is flood-prone, children and families have difficulty getting to school or work when it rains.
The project will be completed on June 29. The road will be in good shape for up to seven years. Webb County’s ultimate goal within that time frame is to generate enough revenue or find funding to make it a paved road.
“That is a project that I am very grateful for and that I know was highly anticipated by the residents of La Presa,” said Precinct 1 Webb County Commissioner Jesse Gonzalez. “The road in question that is being paved is one that floods a lot when it rains, and that’s a big concern that has been brought up to me by the residents of the area.
"If the road gets flooded, how do the kids get to school? How do families go out to get water? With the completion of this project, I believe we’ll be making a big impact on the quality of life in the area.”
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