USAF Medical Entomology Team

MET – More Than a Concept

Deployable Ento Resources*

Very limited vector surveillance capability

No UTCs for entomologist

Limited equipment

“If you don’t have a deployed mission or job, you can/will become a civilian”

It ain’t looking good for your kind

* Spray flight

Build It and They Will Come…

Rather than tell the AF they need better surveillance capability, why not build the team, do missions, deliver a product and see if the AF is interested in what we do?

What can happen over breakfast?

USAFA & F.E . Warren AFB Jul 03

• Hantavirus and Plague surveillance

Other Missions

Honduras – Dengue

Thailand – JE

Iraq – Leishmaniasis, Malaria

Iraq

Thailand

Central America

CONUS – hanta, plague, tularemia, WNV

Build It and They Will Come…

Rather than tell the AF they need better surveillance capability, why not build the team, do missions, deliver a product and see if the AF is interested in what we do?

Wow, that didn’t take long

I think we’re on to something. Now what do we do with ourselves?

MET Proposed

TeamEntomologist

PH Technician

Lab Officer/Technician

Depending on the size of the operation, team could double to meet mission requirements

EquipmentInsect surveillanceRodent surveillanceProcessing equipmentSafety/PPERAPID, VecTests (malaria, WNV, EEE)Other diagnostic equipmentSupport equipment

USAF MET Components

Medical Entomologist*

Public Health Tech

Lab Officer/tech

Vector Control

CE Pest Management

Core Unit

Medical Entomologist

Public Health Tech

*cannot be modified

MET core equipment

Mission Specific

Equipment

Why a MET?Why will this team survive?

We are not on a shelfWe are out doing missions right nowWe are productiveWe are well connectedWe have answers to questions that haven’t been asked yetWe compliment other AF assetsWe have a mission!

What’s different about this team?Mission

• Public Health Mission Leish, WNV, Hanta,

plague, malaria, JE, dengue

• WMD Plague, Tularemia, Es

Training• Real World (hands on)• Relevant

People• Good People• Driven

MET Future (MET ver 2.2)

Support is already there

Formal request by CENTAF

Submit the MISCAP, CONOPS, Allowance Standards

Develop partnerships

Develop assays

Go to work