Service Before Self at 17,598 feet

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Located in Nepal and standing at 29,032 feet is Mount Everest, the tallest mountain on the planet. It's no surprise that people from all around the world train for years in preparation to climb it. The air is thin and bitter cold, the weather unpredictable, and the routes can be complex to navigate and traverse. Even with those daunting challenges, each year there are approximately 1,000 people who attempt the ascent, with only half successfully reaching the summit. The inspiration driving people's desire to reach the tallest peak varies; some people do it for personal reasons, some for a good cause, some for notoriety, and some do it to grow their social media platforms as influencers. Although the reasonings to climb differ, each person on that mountain shares the same need for available medical care. That's where our own Colonel Greg Stiller, 153rd Air Surgeon, Wyoming Air National Guard, comes in.

Earlier this year, Stiller was able to fulfill a lifelong dream to serve as the lead physician at the Everest Base Camp emergency room. This opportunity aligned well with Stiller's experience, having served over 25 years as an emergency medicine physician, specializing in wilderness medicine, humanitarian aid and wilderness austere medicine all around the world.

Stiller remained on the mountain throughout the entire climbing season, which runs from March to June. He served as the only Westerner physician in the camp and slept in a tent for the season. Stiller and his team were there for everyone who needed care, however, he worked primarily with the Nepalese throughout the camp that served as cooks, setup teams, guides, porters, climbers and trekkers. Most of the people working alongside Stiller did not speak English, so there was a lot of non-verbal, intercultural communication taking place to help patients and complete daily tasks.

People often experience various altitude-related illnesses when climbing Mount Everest, for many, these symptoms become noticeable upon arriving at base camp where the altitude is already a staggering 17,598 feet. As the lead physician for his camp, Stiller found himself treating a multitude of ailments that ranged from gastrointestinal illness, frostbite, respiratory illness, gout, trauma and more.

Stiller's spouse, Tracy, and daughter, Tylin, were able to visit him during his time on the mountain. "My family is extremely supportive of what I do in the military as well as what I do on humanitarian missions. I have taken my kids on multiple of these humanitarian trips, I think it's important for them to see the rest of the world-as well as those who are not as fortunate," voiced Stiller.

At one point, Stiller led an expedition of 13 wilderness physicians that started in Kathmandu, followed by a flight to Lukla, then a trek to Everest Base Camp. Most groups take nine days to make this trek, a pace set to gradually acclimatize people to the high altitude and avoid getting sick.

For reference, Pike's Peak in Colorado is 14,115 feet in altitude. When people feel sick on Pike's Peak, they're generally struggling with how thin the air is and overall lack of oxygen. However, when people ascend Pike's Peak, they typically go up and come down the same day. It's when people stay and sleep at high altitude that they begin to develop detrimental illnesses. Several of which include acute mountain sickness, high-altitude pulmonary edema, and high-altitude cerebral edema.

It is no surprise that climbing Mount Everest can be incredibly dangerous, and a sad truth of the matter is that several lives are lost each year. During Stiller's time on the mountain, there were members from the Nepalese Army onsite to manage the difficult task of retrieving bodies from the challenging terrain. As a part of this process, Stiller would perform the necessary exams for proper chain of custody of the deceased.

Thanks to the world wide web and use of social media, there has been a glorification of climbing the mountain. For better or for worse, Everest to many has become a "destination resort and a hike as opposed to a mountain," said Stiller. This alone has fueled countless climb attempts by people who are not prepared for the trek, physically, mentally or skill-wise. "People are able to get away with treating it as such when the weather is nice, but once the weather changes, it becomes very dangerous and leads to more mishaps," he added.

Over the three months, Stiller would often travel to other camps to provide medical care where needed. The number of patients needing treatment rose substantially as the population of base camp reached roughly 2,000 during peak climbing season.

While there, Stiller was able to witness several events and initiatives come to life, one example revolved around the mountain trash cleanup effort. Trash buildup has become a major problem over the years, as such there have been tremendous efforts to minimize our footprint on the mountain and retrieve several decades worth of garbage left behind. An innovative approach that Stiller witnessed was the use of drones to collect waste. This approach has proven to be safe and effective.

In between the busy, work-filled days, there were several opportunities to kick back and have fun. It's safe to say, there is no party like an Everest party…

The Nepalese have a deep spiritual connection with the mountain. As such, a celebration called Puja is held every climbing season at base camp to pay respects to the mountain and ask forgiveness for intruding.

Stiller described the numerous relationships he built while working at base camp. Over the season, he engaged with so many interesting people with great stories and backgrounds. One notable example was the women's record holder for fastest ascent of Everest. Phunjo Lama broke her own record this year and climbed it in 14 hours and 31 minutes from Everest Base Camp to the Summit, then back down in 9 hours and 18 minutes. Meeting people like Lama and developing lifelong friendships was a huge part of what made this experience so grand for Stiller. Interacting with people from various cultures, backgrounds and walks of life made this entire trip so special. "For me, this was more about supporting the people, supporting the mountain, and enjoying the adventure," added Stiller.

Working alongside the Nepalese was such an impactful experience, "You become a part of their family… a feeling that you don't generally get when you're just a tourist. Understanding other cultures and the challenges they face regularly allows us to view the United States so differently. Trips like this can serve as true eye-openers-we are very fortunate to have the freedoms we have," said Stiller.

He goes on to explain how experiences like this add to just how thankful he is to be an American. The freedoms and daily luxuries we have here in the U.S. are unmatched, and often times it takes seeing other countries to realize just how good we have it here at home. Seeing the struggles other cultures face regularly really helps put things into perspective. The privileges and opportunities we have available to us as Americans are often overlooked-but shouldn't be. "I think of the young Airmen who go to other countries, if they remain open-minded throughout their deployment and express a willingness to learn from the experience, they'll undoubtedly come back and view home in a new, enhanced way."

Although the daytime views were stunning and starry nights breathtaking, Stiller's primary takeaway revolves around giving back. "Service before self" can go well beyond the uniform, and this exemplifies that. Whether it's at 6,086 feet in Cheyenne or 17,598 feet at Everest Base Camp, treating people in need is Stiller's passion-like any medical professional. Serving those in need fuels his desire to continue forward as a physician in and out of uniform. This experience has made a lasting impression on Col. Stiller, and he hopes this adventure can help inspire Airmen to pursue opportunities and step out of their comfort zones.

His message to Airmen and Soldiers: "Open your eyes when you're experiencing new opportunities, develop yourself the best you can, work hard, enjoy the journey, and follow your passion."

Men and women in the Wyoming Air National Guard bring so much to the table. From vast educational backgrounds to impressive life experiences, our Cowboy Guard is full of people like Col. Stiller, and that's what makes us strong. We have countless Airmen and Soldiers who bring unique skill sets, broad perspectives and unwavering commitment to their state and nation. So, what's your Everest?

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.