SAN DIEGO, Calif.- Forward Deployable Preventive Medicine Unit (FDPMU) Team Five from San Diego, Calif. completed a five-day field simulated exercise in preparation for operational readiness evaluation at the Naval Medical Training Institute, September 24-28, 2018.
Fourteen Sailors assigned to Navy Environmental and Preventive Medicine Unit Five (NEPMU-5) San Diego’s FDPMU platform took part in the field exercise. The team was comprised of six officers and eight enlisted Sailors representing each multi-disciplinary FDPMU team. Exercise planner and coordinators from Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center (NMCPHC) were on site as well as medical assets from 1st Medical Battalion to observe the performance.
“This exercise provided a unique opportunity for us to hone our skill sets and to enhance our level of expertise with FDPMU components. It also gave us the experience to train together as a team,” said Cmdr. Gary Brice, FDPMU team five officer in charge, NEPMU-5.
"I am very proud of FDPMU team five's teamwork during the field training exercise. Their ability to simultaneously conduct scenario-based and real world missions speaks volume about their knowledge, efficiency and value as a Chief of Naval Operations deployable asset," said Chief Hospital Corpsman Diane Koulavongsa, senior enlisted leader, NEPMU-5.
Field exercise is the final phase of the qualification process where the team goes out into the field and uses all of its training to complete mock scenarios. This is completed prior to the Operational Readiness Evaluation (ORE) and is considered the culmination of all of the required training. Scenarios assessed the team's capabilities to identify and evaluate environmental health hazards, conduct disease vector surveillance and infectious disease assessments, while assessing health outcomes in a deployed setting similar to ORE.
“Everyone at the unit did a good job in preparing us for the field exercise. We experienced some difficulties in the beginning but our leadership kept a very positive attitude and kept us motivated throughout the week,” said Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Darrell Denton, preventive medicine technician, NEPMU-5. "This exercise was helpful in preparing us for the upcoming ORE.”
“The FDPMU team did an excellent job coming together as a team,” said Lt. Daniel Plitnik, FDPMU program manager, NEPMU-5. “They were able to overcome some equipment related challenges and tackle a series of challenging scenarios in preparation for the ORE. Lt. James Brennan did a lot of work this year creating the scenarios and developing a cohesive story for the team. The team and operations department learned a lot and I am certain that the field exercise will only get better next year.”
“The field exercise is a critical aspect in preparing a team for deployment that provides an opportunity to assess the effectiveness of training requirements and promote team unity,” said Capt. Peter Obenauer, officer in charge, NEPMU-5. “This exercise enables real time application of knowledge and experience from different component subject matter experts while identifying potential gaps and strengthening team cohesiveness before they go through the final evaluation. Our goal is to ensure that the team is ready to provide force health protection in a theater of operations.”
FDPMU team five is scheduled for the final examination exercise later this year and will be evaluated by NMCPHC staff.
For more news from Navy Environmental and Preventive Medicine Unit 5, visit: http://www.navy.mil/local/nepmu5 or follow NEPMU 5 on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nepmu5.
For more news from Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center, visit http://www.navy.mil/local/nmcphc/.
| Date Taken: | 10.15.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 10.15.2018 12:06 |
| Story ID: | 296467 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 121 |
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