115th CSH converts to 32nd Hospital Center

Photo By Patricia Dubiel | Col. Lee A. Burnett, 32nd Hospital Command commander, addresses his Soldiers from the podium during an activation and conversion ceremony held March 20 at Engineer Fiield.  

FORT POLK, LA, UNITED STATES

03.21.2019

Story by Patricia Dubiel 

Fort Johnson Public Affairs Office

Two organizations fall under the 32nd, which is led by Col. Lee Burnett and Command Sgt. Maj. Dolores Kiyoshi: The 485th Preventive Medicine Detachment, led by Capt. Thomas Gilbreath and Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Clifford, and the 115th Field Hospital, led by Lt. Col. Jason Marquart and Master Sgt. Demitrius Peggins.
Under the 115th, there are four companies:
• The Headquarters Company, led by Capt. Kyle McClure and 1st Sgt. Kevin Bross
• The 190th Medical Detachment (Intermediate Care Ward Augment), led by Capt. Jennifer Schock and Sgt. Jacob Hood
• The 286th Medical Detachment (Surgical Augment), led by Maj. Deanna Andrews and Sgt. 1st Class Samuel Mateo
• The 433rd Medical Detachment (Medical Augment), led by Capt. Freddy Morocho and Sgt. 1st Class Joshua Bostic.
The change was made in accordance with a Forces Command force design update executive order made June 26, 2018. The order states that the U.S. Army “is executing Hospital Center (HC) and Forward Resuscitative and Surgical Team (FRST) force design updates to convert all combat support hospital units into five distinct hospital and hospital-related capabilities and forward surgical teams into a new deployable force that may be split into two 10-person resuscitative and surgical elements … to enhance combatant commander flexibility and deliver optimal health service support to the operational force.”
Under the new structure, each element assumes the following missions:
• Hospital center: Deploys to provide mission command for up to two functioning field hospitals.
• Field hospital: Deploys to provide hospitalization and outpatient services to all classes of patients in a theater of operations.
• Medical detachment: Deploys to augment the capabilities of the field hospital with thoracic, urology, oral maxillofacial surgical capabilities, additional intensive care unit beds, outpatient services and microbiology.
• Surgical detachment: Deploys to augment the field hospital with operational dental care, one additional ICU ward, one intermediate care ward, additional microbiology capabilities and outpatient services.
• Intermediate care ward detachment: Augments the field hospital as required with three wards providing intermediate nursing care and additional personnel to support nutrition and patient administration capabilities.
During an activation and conversion ceremony held March 20 at Fort Polk’s Engineer Field, the unit colors of the 115th CSH and subordinate companies were cased, the new colors were uncased, and the newly organized unit took its place.
Burnett said serving with the 115th over the past year has been a privilege and he looks forward to leading the 32nd HC into this new chapter in history. He thanked each command team of the deactivated companies and the leadership taking the reins of the new detachments.
Marquart said the ceremony’s timing was in line with the unit’s long history.
“This unit was formed 101 years ago (March 21) in Fort Riley, Kansas for duty during World War I,” he said. “Since that day, this unit has transformed six times to meet the needs of the warfighters we serve. Each time, the unit has mastered the changes and proved themselves in combat. The reason for this success lies in the foundation you see in front of us — the warrior medics. They can and will adapt to this challenge.”
Marquart said the name changes mean little to the men and women medics encountered on the battlefield. “They do not care if we call ourselves 15th, 115th, evacuation, combat support or field hospital. They care that we are there when needed, and that we are experts in providing health care.”

• Date Taken: 03.21.2019
• Date Posted: 03.21.2019 16:00
• Story ID: 315229
• Location: FORT POLK, LA, US