FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, Calif., June 17, 2016 – U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers hear the whistle, followed by an explosion which produces a cloud of dust and flames. What happens after that is based on years of training, leadership and the Soldiers’ will to save their fellow service members. Treating Soldiers with simulated injuries and giving them the best possible care even in the worst conditions is the training mission of the 349th Combat Support Hospital (CSH) during Combat Support Training Exercise (CSTX) 91-16-02, Fort Hunter Liggett, California.
“Down-range, the CSH provides Role 1 to Role 3 care,” said Col. Betty Demus, hospital commander, 349th CSH, Bell, California.
U.S. Army medical units provide assistance to service members at different levels, referred to as Role 1-4 care. The Role 1 is a resource available at smaller locations, typically a battalion aid station that provides triage, treatment and evacuation services. A Role 3 is a CSH, a unit with more elevated capabilities that provides hospitalization and outpatient services for all categories of patients within a combat theater of operations.
“At CSTX, we are working with joint forces, such as the Air Force, Canadian Forces Health Services and the Las Vegas National Guard Medical Detachment to practice going over our skills, drills and on new equipment,” Demus added.
As the largest U.S. Army Reserve training exercise, CSTX 91-16-02 provides Soldiers with unique opportunities to sharpen their technical and tactical skills in combat-like conditions. Since the CSH is only at Fort Hunter Liggett in a training capacity, Soldiers who sustain real injuries or become ill while training turn to the Troop Medical Clinics (TMCs). These clinics are set up at three of the Tactical Assembly Areas (TAAs) as first aid stations to provide point of care treatment to Soldiers in the field environment.
Additionally, there is a TMC in the Fort Hunter Liggett cantonment area for Soldiers who are not in the field training.
“We provide real world treatment by offering medical care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,” said Maj. Randy Deer, officer-in-charge, TMC, Fort Hunter Liggett, California. “There are doctors and physician’s assistants standing ready to provide medical coverage and care for all Soldiers for the duration of the exercise.”
Soldiers in both the CSH and TMCs are working with new equipment like Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) that increase their ability to save Soldiers’ lives. This portable electronic device has adhesive pads that transmit information about heart rhythms to the machine. Depending on the type of cardiac event, the machine will advise medical personnel that an electrical shock is necessary and will administer it through the adhesive pads.
Cooperation between services has allowed the CSH staff to also integrate new technology and patient tracking systems to expedite the care of Soldiers.
“The Air Force Aeromedical Evacuation Liaison Team (AELT) has been real helpful in showing our
Patient Administration Department (PAD) the new Trac2esSystem,” said Pfc. Evelyn Salcido, 349th CSH. “It is a web-based automated decision support tool, which allows us to see patients requiring movement, resources required for patient movement, available hospital beds and patient-in-transit visibility.”
Innovative technology and comprehensive training are two major components of the U.S. Army Reserve medical services that help with mission success in training and real-world combat environments. The mission of Combat Support Hospitals and Troop Medical Clinics is to give Soldiers quality medical care regardless of the location or conditions, so Soldiers can rest assured that if the need is there, both types of units stand ready, willing and able to assist them.
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Date Taken: | 06.17.2016 |
Date Posted: | 06.22.2016 02:20 |
Story ID: | 202015 |
Location: | FORT HUNTER LIG, CA, US |
Hometown: | BELL, CA, US |
Web Views: | 286 |
Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Medical Units Work Together to Provide Simulated and Real-World Care, by SFC Tom Wade, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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