A Skagway medical provider is heading to Ukraine to treat people fleeing the Russian invasion. Brent Kunzler told KHNS earlier this month that he’d go to Ukraine if his medical training could be of value. On Monday, March 14, Brent got the call to help.

Brent Kunzler is the medical director at Skagway’s health clinic, and a former Green Beret Medic. His long-distance girlfriend, Nadia, and her two children live in a flat in the city of Zaporizhzhria (Zip-rosia) in eastern Ukraine, the home of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant. They met online four years ago and developed a loving relationship, while never meeting.

Kunzler is taking vacation time to go to Lviv in western Ukraine and help set up a triage unit for injured refugees fleeing the country. He says it’s not safe for Nadia to visit him there, but he’s going to help anyway.

KHNS’ Mike Swasey sat down with Brent Kunzler on Friday to talk about his upcoming mission.

Kunzler – People I know from military days, contacted me and said that they are going to set up a triage point in Lviv, which is just on the other side of the border from Poland, and is one of the main routes of escape and evasion from what’s going on in Ukraine.

SwaseyAnd so you’re only going to be there for a few days, do you expect to see Nadia during that time?

Kunzler – I won’t see her. But what’s more important, I think, is, well, that she’s safe. And she is safe. What’s more important is to help set up this triage unit. Take care of as many people as we can, for as long as I can stay there. Then I’ll come back to work in Skagway, meanwhile, leaving some of my buddies there to continue the mission.

SwaseyAnd so what does it take to set up a triage center in a war zone?

Kunzler – Well, you really don’t need very much, you can triage anywhere. A truck car or, or anywhere, really. But we’re looking for something a little more substantial, probably a GP medium tent, which is a good size, military-type tent. 

We will have body armor helmets and stuff. But I expect that what we’re going to be seeing is some injured folks that have come a long way that haven’t received any medical care or very little, and we’ll figure out what they need, and then get them to the proper facility. Either, a hospital or clinic or something in Poland. We’ve got some vehicles lined up to do that, we have permission from the Polish government to do that.

SwaseyYou said before that you registered with the Ukraine Foreign Legion.

Kunzler – I did that. And the guys that I’m talking to say that’s a mistake. And what they’re telling me is a lot of folks who have done that, once they get there and they get into the real heat of the battle, they decide that was maybe a mistake. Some obviously are ex-military and know what they’re getting into. But I think some people want to help they truly do and they truly want to do something. But once you’re faced with people either shooting at you or bombing around you, that kind of changes the perspective a bit. 

SwaseyAnd you’ve got experience with that?

Kunzler –  I’ve got a lot of years in the military. Been in Iraq for eight years, I’ve been bombed shot at…

SwaseyBut not hit?

Kunzler –  No, I’ve never been hit. Vehicle’s been hit a number of times. So the way you avoid getting hit is you drive really, really fast.

SwaseyI bet, that’s a good way to do it.

Kunzler – I’m not there to fight. I’m too old, too fat, too slow. But what I am good at is static, guerrilla, hospital-type care. So that’s what I am good at.

SwaseyOkay. Thanks for stopping by and sharing the story with us. 

Kunzler – You’re welcome.

Kunzler says he hopes to ship out once he finds someone to cover for him at Skagway’s Dahl Memorial Clinic.