In the aftermath of an active shooter Aug. 6 at Fort Stewart’s 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, five Soldiers were left wounded, putting Winn Army Community’s critical health care response to the test.
The installation’s emergency medical services transported five wounded Soldiers to Winn, where the staff was ready and waiting to provide critical care when it mattered most.
When the initial report of wounded came in, the hospital’s emergency, surgical, and recovery teams quickly moved into action — a chain of care where every link held strong to save lives and keep Soldiers ready to fight.
An air of tension permeated Winn’s emergency room as the teams waited, said Lt. Col. Daniel Bailey, chief of surgery. The number of patients and nature of their wounds presented the hospital with challenges to overcome, especially because of the deviation from routine medical concerns treated by the ER.
“For a facility that has almost never seen multiple (gun-shot wound) patients, you would not have known” Bailey said. “People’s military training supported them through. There was no hesitation. Everyone simply was executing. We were happy with our team’s work.”
In preparation for the five wounded Soldiers, the emergency department initiated its mass casualty protocol. Capt. Alanna Whitfield, an emergency room nurse, said established readiness procedures guided every decision.
“Our priorities were clear — rapidly sort, stabilize and treat,” Whitfield said.
While the ER team worked to stabilize patients, the rest of the hospital was already engaged. Radiology prepared for rapid imaging, spooling up mobile x-ray machines and fixed CT scanners. The laboratory readied scanners for crucial blood work and readied blood reserves. The surgical teams positioned resources for immediate intervention.
A coordinated flow of information and patient movement guided every step of the incident response. Seemingly natural in a moment of crisis, coordination is built from constant training, as well as trust between departments, Whitfield said.
In the operating room, preparation to provide rapid, safe, and quality health care began before patients reached the sliding glass doors of Winn’s ambulance bay. Medical readiness is the mission, Bailey said.
“Being prepared and responding to such events is the crux of Army Medicine,” he said. “We brought blood products closer to the ER and ensured our team was ready for immediate surgical intervention.”
Bailey compared the teamwork in the OR to what he’s seen in deployed surgical teams, where anticipation and communication are critical. That readiness is the essence of providing medical care to warfighters.
“Our outcomes depend on capability — and capability comes from regularly working together in critical situations,” he said.
An added factor contributing to the successful critical care provided by Winn was Bailey’s recent completion of the Army’s Military Civilian Trauma Team Training. The AMCT3 program partners military health care professionals with high-volume civilian trauma centers.
The program’s overall goal is to expose Army doctors and nurses to the types of wounds Winn treated following the incident, specifically with the goal of saving lives on the battlefield.
Winn’s intermediate care ward was the next link in the chain for some of the wounded Soldiers. Capt. Natalia Kinser, chief nursing officer in charge of the ICW, said recovery is about more than medical stability. Patients can be in the ICW for an extended period of time and Warfighter health care requires taking care of the whole Soldier.
“Our top priorities are physical stabilization and psychological well-being,” Kinser said. “We work closely with physical therapy, behavioral health, and other specialties to ensure holistic care.”
Two of the five Soldiers were stabilized by Winn’s ED and transferred via ground ambulance to a higher level of care in Savannah. One Soldier was admitted to Winn, and the remaining two were discharged the same day.
“From triage to surgery to rehabilitation, every phase of care is part of the same mission,” Bailey said. “We stand ready not just for moments of crisis, but every day.”
| Date Taken: | 08.14.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.14.2025 15:25 |
| Story ID: | 545647 |
| Location: | FORT STEWART, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 18 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Response to active shooter injuries validates commitment to warfighter care, by Gustave Rehnstrom, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
