Gas mask inserts recycled DoD wide Published Jan. 12, 2017 By Airman 1st Class Alexis C. Schultz 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. -- When Tech. Sgt. Anthony Vara received an email about a Department of Defense wide shortage of M50 gas mask inserts, he took initiative right away. “I wanted to help out so I created a recycling program to take gas mask inserts from patients who had extra ones or no longer needed them, and we sent them to the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio,” said Vara, 2nd Aerospace Medicine Squadron optometry flight chief. By posting signs requesting gas mask inserts on the doors of the medical treatment facility and contacting public affairs to advertise, the optometry clinic started to receive inserts right away. “A week after initiating the program, we had already sent out 141 gas masks from our clinic,” said Vara. A total of 1,500 gas mask inserts were collected DoD wide since Nov. 23, 2016, keeping them out of landfills and saving the Air Force money. “It’s important to get the gas mask insert supply up to speed so the Airmen who are deployed are able to continue the mission without their vision being affected,” said Vara. Vara said because of this success, the lab has been able to sustain the demand of sending inserts to deployed personnel and initial trainee. The BAMC lab was not able to sustain the demand previously.