Hundreds of American soldiers in the Middle East have a clear view of the world, thanks to the work of a Fort Dodge soldier and her team.
Army Reserve Sgt. Katrina Waynar is the optical lab technician in charge of production at a facility in Qatar that makes eyeglasses for the troops.
Earlier this month, her lab reached a milestone when it completed its 1,000th pair of glasses.
For Waynar, a St. Edmond High School graduate, ensuring people can see properly is more important than racking up big production numbers. She described helping others as the most rewarding part of her job.
She is a member of the 388th Medical Logistics Co., based in Fort Hays, Kan. Her Army Reserve service began on Feb. 7, 2002, months before she graduated from high school. In April, she re-enlisted for another three years.
In October, her unit moved to Camp As Sayliyah in Qatar to work at the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Center Southwest Asia.
‘‘When we first arrived, we had a small building with a short supply of materials and no hard-wire electrical power or network access,’’ Waynar said in a news release from the military.
‘‘We needed to put this new lab together,’’ she said. ‘‘Once it was finished, we started to take on more and more work by reaching out to units elsewhere. With the help of Area Support Group Qatar and the installation commander, many have been surprised by what we have made available.’’
Waynar added that ‘‘it’s safe to say’’ that her lab has the largest supply of eyeglasses frames in the Middle East.
That lab serves Camp As Sayliyah and a nearby air base. It also helps with the workload of other military optical labs in the region. Additionally, it serves troops rotating through the camp for rest breaks.
‘‘Some people lose their glasses,’’ Waynar said. ‘‘Many get destroyed. We try everything to find their prescription, which is easily available for all glasses ordered through the military. Lenses are made based on the service member’s most recent prescription.’’
Lt. Col. Scott Carpenter, the commander of the Army Medical Materiel Center Southwest Asia, said that Waynar and her fellow non-commissioned officers have ‘‘really raised the bar in efficiency’’ there.
Waynar’s unit will return to the United States late this summer. When that happens, she’ll get back to a civilian life that she hasn’t really experienced since graduating from Iowa State University in July 2007. Two weeks after getting her bachelor’s degree in biology, she went on active duty.
In Fort Dodge, her parents, Mike and Ann Waynar; brother, Ben; and sister, Maria, await her safe return.
Contact Bill Shea at (515) 573-2141 or bshea@messengernews.net'>bshea@messengernews.net
