Army Reserve Medical Soldiers ensure combat readiness during training exercise

Photo By Sgt. Toby Cook | Soldiers from the 399th Combat Support Hospital, 804th Medical Brigade, 3rd Medical Command (Deployment Support), recieve information from an instructor during the Combat Support Training Exercise 18-03 at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, March 20, 2018. The exercise was designed to increase unit readiness by testing soldier skills and capabilities. During the exercise, soldiers were required to perform all tasks correctly to continue to the next task. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Toby Cook)  

FORT MCCOY, WI, UNITED STATES

03.20.2018

Story by Sgt. Toby Cook 

319th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

FORT McCOY, Wis. – Army Reserve Soldiers spent the day getting real-world perspectives of various battle scenarios during their Combat Support Training Exercise 18-03 at Improved Tactical Training Base Liberty, March 20, 2018.

Getting back to basic soldiering skills and being able to deploy quickly is the focus for Lt. Gen. Charles D. Luckey, Chief of Army Reserve and Commanding General, U.S. Army Reserve Command.

For those Soldiers who do not conduct battle drills regularly, the CSTX served as a refresher training to ensure the capability, combat-readiness, and lethality of America’s Army Reserve.

The 399th Combat Support Hospital (CSH), 804th Medical Brigade, 3rd Medical Command (Deployment Support), from Danvers, Massachusetts, had the opportunity to train on a variety of skills needed in a potential combat environment which is paramount to their overall mission readiness.

“This exercise is important because you never know when you will be in a combat situation, and this exercise will prepare you for that moment,” said Spc. Dominique Lima, a surgical technician and cadre member with 399th CSH. “We are not trying to make it too difficult. We are breaking it down to the lowest level, but we are giving them real-world scenarios.”
The training is designed to ensure all medical personnel assigned to an Army Reserve Ready Force X unit, like the 399th CSH, is validated for a quick response deployment to anywhere in the world.

Medical Soldiers primarily focus on training specific to the medical field, but this training exercise promotes the opportunity to refresh basic combat skills.

“I’m a nurse and haven’t done battle drills since Basic Officers Leadership Course seven years ago,” said Cpt. Diane Simoes, a nurse with 399th CSH. “The staff was great, everybody was patient with us and made it into a teachable experience.”

• Date Taken: 03.20.2018
• Date Posted: 03.25.2018 21:22
• Story ID: 270542
• Location: FORT MCCOY, WI, US