U.S. Navy Sierra rotation farewells NATO Role III, Kandahar Airfield

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, AFGHANISTAN

10.14.2018

Story by Staff Sgt. Neysa Canfield 

2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Leaders throughout Kandahar Airfield gathered, Oct. 14, during the NATO Role III Multinational Medical Unit’s transfer of authority ceremony, here, between the U.S. Navy’s Sierra and Tango rotation.

U.S. Navy Capt. Cynthia Gantt, outgoing commander for Role III MMU, and her team took command of NATO Role III, which is the Navy’s only combat hospital, in April of 2018.

As the medical staff for Role III, Gantt and the Sailors of Sierra provided trauma care for combat casualties in Southern Afghanistan in direct support of operations resolute support and freedom’s sentinel. Role III provides care to all categories of patients to include resuscitation, initial wound surgery, damage control surgery and postoperative treatment.

“In my first email message last December to our team, I outlined our guiding principles of mutual respect, increase resiliency and positive engagement in addition to living our navy core values of honor, courage and commitment,” said Gantt, a Temple City, California native. “I am humbled to say that I have witnessed our core values and these principles in action every day since the first day we were all together for training at Camp Pendleton, through Army Combat Skills training, and especially as we have cared for critically injured patients, most of whom are here without any family support at their bedside.”

As Gantt and her team prepare to leave Afghanistan, U.S. Navy Capt. David Jones, incoming commander for Role III, and the Sailors of Tango prepare to take over as the medical staff of NATO Role III.

I am thrilled to be turning over this unique and important mission to Jones and his team, said Gantt during the ceremony.

“I know that [Capt. Jones] and the entire Tango Rotation will build on our accomplishments in ways we cannot imagine,” she said.

During the ceremony, Jones thanked Gantt and the Sierra rotation for a quick and informative turnover process.

“Across the board, the input and perspective [the Sierra rotation] have provided has been the best tradition of colleagueship and professionalism,” said Jones.

Jones stated that the Sailors of Tango are prepared to take on the duties and responsibilities of the hospital on Kandahar Airfield and are ready to put their training and experience to work.

• Date Taken: 10.14.2018
• Date Posted: 10.16.2018 09:55
• Story ID: 296570
• Location: KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, AF