ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. -- The Ellsworth AFB Veterinary Treatment Facility hosted a ribbon cutting event and an open house March 9.
“The Veterinary Treatment Facility hosted [the event] to show the renovations and new capabilities that the vet clinic provides to active duty and retired military members,” said U.S. Army Capt. Casey Barwell, the Ellsworth AFB veterinary section officer in charge.
The renovation to the vet clinic added new exam rooms, a treatment room, pharmacy, labs, surgery suite, military working dog procedure rooms and new X-Ray machines and ventilation.
The clinic’s mission is readiness, and adding an MWD procedure room ensures Barwell and her team can accomplish that mission. The room provides a separate area for military working dogs to be seen, while not taking away from appointments for personally owned pets of service members.
“This room makes sure military working dogs and personal pets do not interact with each other,” said Barwell. “This reduces the chance of possible diseases spreading between the working dogs and military members’ personal pets.”
For more information on the Veterinary Treatment Facility and services provided, call 605-385-1589.