Kenya native becomes U.S. Army Reserve medic

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U.S. Army Southern European Task

Specialist Joshua Omwenga, a combat medic with 444th Minimal Care Detachment, participates in Exercise Justified Accord, Isiolo, Kenya. Exercise Justified Accord takes place from Feb. 28 through March 17 in Kenya. Over 800 personnel will participate in the exercise which focuses on enabling readiness for the US and multinational partners.

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Photo by: Sgt. Neysa Huertas Quinones 

Spc. Joshua Omwenga, a combat medic with 444th Minimal Care Det., was born in Western Kenya. Omwenga was working as a school teacher when he was notified that he would receive a green card to the United States from a local lottery.

Due to his background in biology, he worked as a lab technician in America. He was interested in pursuing the medical field and decided to join the U.S. Army Reserve. After only four months in the United States, Omwenga enlisted to become health care specialist.

His time in the Army has given him and his family a broader perception of the military and what it means to serve. He has taken the opportunity to expand his skills and share experiences that he would not have been able to do outside the service. Being a health care provider has provided a means to help others both in his new home and abroad. Omwenga is providing medical support for Exercise Justified Accord 2022 in Isiolo, Kenya. The exercise is an international training event that began Feb. 28. The focus of Exercise Justified Accord is building relationships between partner nations while also honing participants skills. U.S. service members from active and reserve components were among the approximately 800 representatives that took part in the exercise.

"Over time, there are things you find yourself wishing you could do," Omwenga said. "I was wishing that someday I would contribute to the stability and security in this region and I'm here today. At least I can say I made my mark here and can move on to the next thing."