The 2021 Walking Shield event, which provides health care to the public at no cost, kicked off today in Cass Lake. The event is in partnership with many organizations and was hosted by the Cass Lake Indian Health Service.

Army Reserve soldiers, who are stationed from many different places and represent different walks of life, are dedicating their services for Walking Shield.

“We do multiple events like this throughout the year at different reservations, different locations, so the reservations themselves apply to have the mission assigned to them, and certain areas are selected,” explained Jason Baumann, 330th Medical Brigade Mission Medical Officer. “Whatever ones are selected then, the different ones are given to different medical brigades … then they assign the people from there to complete the mission.”

The event is offering several different services such as general medical care, physical exams, dental care, optometry, and more.

“[We] provide a baseline for our patients, so they will be able to then go back to their providers once we go back to our respective military locations, and they will have that information to take to their providers that will be able to further build on that foundation that we’ve established for them,” said LeeAnn Capace, 330th Medical Brigade Chief of Clinical Operations.

Through this partnership, the services being provided to patients are completely free.

“We’re working side-by-side with the IHS, and therefore it’s a collaborative mission, if you will, so the Army is meeting IHS in the middle both providing for our population,” said Capace.

“It’s an awesome opportunity. I’ve deployed multiple times … outside the United States. Anytime you can provide any kind of service in the continental United States, it’s an awesome service, ’cause we’re helping our people. You can see the benefit and just the joy in everyone’s eyes coming through and the same for the people providing it, because it’s always a great opportunity to help people out.”

COVID-19 vaccinations are also being provided. The event will be held at the Cass Lake High School from 9 AM to 5 PM through August 12.

By — Destiny Wiggins