LETTERS HEALTH NEEDS UNMET.

I was amazed, but not surprised, to read the headline in the April 28 Antelope Valley Edition of the Daily News, ``Military: Medical needs not our problem.''

The headline was referring to a question put to Fred Kuhn, Air Force deputy assistant secretary for installations during a recent trip to Washington, D.C., by the Antelope Valley Board of Trade.

Mr. Kuhn's response to being questioned about the need for more emergency services for Edwards' personnel was to suggest that the Antelope Valley Hospital expand.

Quoting from the article by Lisa Friedman, ``When told that Edwards personnel have to travel 35 miles to the hospital, he said, 'Why wouldn't they want to expand that hospital, knowing there's a demand right outside the gate?''

Right outside the gate? Maybe Mr. Kuhn didn't hear the part about the 35-mile drive?

Assuming Mr. Kuhn lives in Washington, D.C., there isn't any location in the D.C. metropolitan area he couldn't drive to in less than 35 miles, much less a hospital.

When I first received orders to Edwards Air Force Base, I was concerned about medical care for my family. Both my wife and oldest child have asthma as well as serious allergies and skin conditions.

In fact, three out of four of my dependents are enrolled in the Exceptional Family Member Program because of serious medical conditions.

Because family members are enrolled in EFMP, I had to submit a package through the clinic at my previous base to Edwards Air Force Base Clinic for approval to be stationed here.

The clinic approved my package saying they had the facilities to care for my dependents.

What they really meant was they had the facilities in the local community ``right outside the gate.'' Since I have been here at Edwards, my child has had severe problems with his skin because of allergies, and I'll give the Edwards Clinic credit, they have done everything they can to try to treat my son's condition; however his skin only gets worse.

Now on top of patients having to drive 35 miles to a hospital or specialist, the clinic has been told to stop carrying most prescriptions.

Remember earlier, when I told you about all the medical conditions in my family. Between me, my wife and my child, we regularly take 10 prescription medications. Now, instead of being able to fill these prescriptions in my community on base, we have to drive off-base, and pay a co-pay fee, to fill many of these prescriptions.

We were told by the pharmacy at the clinic that they have been told to cut back to a bare minimum the prescriptions they carry to save money. It is time that people stand up and let the leaders at Edwards and back in Washington, D.C., know about our concerns.

They need to realize that 35 miles is not ``right outside the gate.'' And they need to start taking better care of the health needs of the families in the Edwards community, so the personnel here at Edwards can concentrate on our mission and not have to worry about the health of their family.

I encourage everyone who reads this and agrees with my message to voice your concerns to our leaders. Write a letter to your congressman similar to mine. If we don't voice our concerns, nobody else will.

- Larry L. Moshier, Technical Sergeant 

Edwards Air Force Base