Medical Unity of Effort at Hohenfels Training Area and At Home

Photo By Joyce Costello | Medic Soldiers assigned to US Army Clinic Hohenfels and JMRC discuss patient symptoms during a response to COVID-19.  

HOHENFELS, BY, GERMANY

03.13.2020

Story by Spc. Audrequez Evans 

Joint Multinational Readiness Center

HOHENFELS, Germany —Amidst the recent COVID-19 cases in Bavaria, Germany, Hohenfels medical personnel and Joint Multinational Readiness Center Observer Coach/Trainers are pulling out all the stops to ensure the Hohenfels community remains healthy and safe. Once the Hohenfels Medical Task Force stood up, everyone sprang into action upon receiving their marching orders.

“There has been a new message published by the commander of the operations group and it states that given the severity of Corona virus how all the elements on the installation will be directly supporting,” said Sgt. First Class Paul Zadzura, a combat medic and Timberwolves medic OC/T.

Tasked with the other OC/T teams to provide aid to the Medical Clinic of Hohenfels and the various locations around base, Zadzura having little experience in pandemic issues didn’t falter at all. He and the other OC/T’s met and devised a plan to keep Hohenfels as safe as possible.

“All of the 2-4 (Medic OC’s) elements had a meeting with Capt. Sharp and we discussed given the Corona virus how Hohenfels specifically with our medical team are going to work as a community to support this area as best as we can and all the critter teams who have medics in some form or fashion are supporting this,” said Zadzura.

They have been working nonstop since the issue was brought to light, aiding Lt. Col. Preston, Commander of the US Army Health Clinic-Hohenfels, helping the gate guards with screenings and manning washing stations to ensure everyone is practicing proper hygiene. The community has really come together to combat this issue.

“We have the Health clinic, dental staff, veterinarians and JMRC medics with the critter teams and 1-4 Infantry Regiment all coming together to make a positive impact in the safety of the community,” said Preston.

Zadzura’s, wife who is also in the medical field, is doing her part in the states as well., She is working as a nurse in Lexington Kentucky and has placed herself like her husband on the front lines to ensure other people’s safety. Zadzura and his wife speak daily to ensure the health and welfare of one another.

“We discuss that all of the professionals who supersede our medical knowledge and are way up there above us are making decisions based on what they know and their experiences, with safety being the number one priority,” Zadzura said.

When Zadzura isn’t ensuring the safety of the community he speaks to his children frequently. He was supposed to fly to them a week prior before the pandemic reached Hohenfels, but said he is content because by not flying-, it was the best move for his family’s safety and everyone else’s as well. Zadzura stated that his children need no reassurance that he is being safe and staying healthy.

“We haven’t sat them down and asked them do they understand what’s going on because they understand and there is no need to breed a panic by putting them in a situation where they feel something has changed so much that it effects their lives,” said Zadzura.

During the pandemic, he encourages everyone to follow the guidance put out by medical professionals and the leaders appointed over them. He speaks on the importance of not making a situation severe because the rules weren’t followed.

“It’s all about safety and in order to have a future prolong- you have to make the short-term sacrifices and make the smart decisions otherwise things can get out of hand,” said Zadzura. “I think everyone is doing their best to be smart about this and I think everyone is waiting for the restrictions to be removed so that they can have that freedom of travel to be reunited with their families to ease everybody’s mind.”

• Date Taken: 03.13.2020
• Date Posted: 03.18.2020 02:32
• Story ID: 365352
• Location: HOHENFELS, BY, DE