ELLWOOD CITY, Pa. - U.S. Air Force Col. Nicole Hurley, an Ellwood City native, is returning to her hometown to support a military medical training mission offering no-cost health services to the community.

Hurley, a 1991 graduate of Lincoln High School, initiated the effort to bring the Department of Defense mission to Ellwood City. She graduated from Jameson Nursing School in 1993 and entered the Air Force in 1995. Now a colonel in the Air Force Reserve Command, Hurley is in her 30th year of military service.

Her interest in bringing such a mission to Ellwood City began in 2023 after she observed an Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) mission in Monroe, Louisiana. Witnessing the healthcare services provided there, she worked with Ellwood City borough officials to apply.

"It truly was like winning the lottery when I heard we were selected," Hurley said. "I cried happy tears!"

Operation Healthy Ellwood will provide medical, dental, vision, behavioral, and veterinary services at Lincoln High School. The clinic will operate from July 23-26 and from July 28 to August. 1, with services available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily on a first-come, first-served basis. There are no residency requirements for services.

Nearly 200 military medical professionals from the Air Force, Army, and Navy will staff the clinic. These healthcare professionals, reservists, and active-duty members will travel from across the country to participate. The mission aims to simulate a deployed environment, allowing military personnel to train in a joint environment while providing healthcare to the community.

The initiative is part of the Department of Defense’s IRT program, which aims to strengthen military readiness and deliver healthcare to underserved communities across the United States.

Services offered at Operation Healthy Ellwood include:

  • Medical exams and school/sports physicals
  • Dental exams, X-rays, fillings and extractions
  • Vision screenings and on-site eyeglass fabrication
  • Behavioral health services
  • Prescriptions
  • Veterinary exams
  • Health education and community resources

Clinic Dates and Times:

  • Official Clinic Dates: July 23–26 and July 28–August 1
  • Clinic Hours: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. daily

Location:

  • Lincoln High School
  • 501 Crescent Avenue
  • Ellwood City, Pa.