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BELL, Calif. — Soldiers assigned to the 380th Hospital Center strengthened their operational readiness during an operator-level generator training event conducted Jan. 8-11, 2026, at Bell, California. The training focused on building foundational power-generation skills critical to sustaining medical operations in field and large-scale combat operations (LSCO) environments.
According to Chief Warrant Officer 2 Joseph Thomas, Maintenance Officer-In-Charge at the 176th Medical Brigade, the training addressed a systemic shortfall in trained generator operators across multiple units. “Within the 380th Hospital Center, and our downtrace units, there simply are not enough trained Soldiers when it comes to generator operations,” Thomas said. “Generators are part of our battle pool, and they’re a key data point we track through the Power BI maintenance model, specifically equipment usage.”
Thomas said senior enlisted leaders identified the gap and requested action. “Command Sgt. Maj. Erica Svestri (380th Hospital Center) and Command Sgt. Maj. Beau Buford (176th Medical Brigade) asked if we could put together a team to conduct this training, as we ran a similar event at Seagoville, Texas, in October, and it proved effective.” he said.
Sgt. 1st Class Bryan Cohee and Sgt. Nicolas Korhonen served as the instructors for the event. Thomas noted that their experience made them ideal trainers. “Cohee attended the AMMPS (Advanced Medium Mobile Power Source) generator course, and Korhonen brings strong troubleshooting expertise,” Thomas said. “Together, they were able to deliver high-quality, hands-on instruction to our Soldiers.”
Bell was selected as the training location because of unit alignment and efficiency. Thomas explained. “Units were also conducting ATB (Annual Training Brief) preparation that weekend, which allowed us to keep Soldiers engaged during battle assembly while much of the senior staff was tied up with other requirements.”
A total of 56 Soldiers from multiple military occupational specialties (MOS) participated in the course. The training was conducted at the operator level, focusing on the responsibilities of end users within their sections. Instruction covered preventive maintenance checks and services (PMCS), as well as proper start-up and shutdown procedures.
“This training was strictly about providing foundational knowledge,” Thomas said. “We wanted Soldiers to be able to execute the task correctly and safely.”
Thomas emphasized the importance of generator power to medical operations in the field. “Any time units move to the field and set up communications, TOC operations, medical treatment, surgical sets, dental treatment, or even heat, air conditioning, and lighting, they require generator power,” he said. “And in a forward-deployed LSCO scenario, medical units are solely generator-powered.”
Soldiers trained on 5-kilowatt, 10-kilowatt, and 15-kilowatt generators, each supporting different operational requirements. “A 5K supports a squad-sized element or small work environment,” Thomas explained. “A 10K is more aligned with platoon-level operations, and a 15K supports hospital center TOC operations and climate control.”
Thomas added that larger generators, such as the 100-kilowatt systems used in field hospitals, are typically trained at Regional Training Sites–Medical or through TACOM (Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command) due to their complexity and scale.
The hands-on nature of the training allowed Soldiers to gain confidence in critical safety and maintenance tasks. “Grounding is non-negotiable,” Thomas said. “If it’s not grounded properly, it can discharge electricity, damage connected equipment, or seriously injure someone.”
Soldiers also learned PMCS procedures before, during, and after operation, and basic troubleshooting if the generator doesn’t start. Rather than walking away from equipment issues, Soldiers were taught to apply due diligence as operators. “It’s not acceptable to say, ‘It doesn’t start,’ and stop there,” Thomas said. “They learned key things to check and how to troubleshoot at their level.”
Challenges and Lessons Learned Instructors identified several challenges during the training, beginning with a widespread knowledge gap. Many Soldiers had little to no prior exposure to generator systems, requiring instructors to start from the basics and invest additional time to ensure comprehension. The technical complexity of the newer generators also presented a learning curve, particularly for Soldiers without a technical background.
Sgt. 1st Class Cohee noted that medical-MOS personnel were especially impacted. “It became evident that most of the medical MOS Soldiers had little familiarity with the basic operation of the equipment,” Cohee said. “That highlighted the need for foundational technical training across formations that rely on generator power but don’t routinely operate the systems.”
Sgt. Korhonen said the limited experience level among participants shaped the instructional approach. “Only a select few Soldiers had ever touched a generator before,” he said. “That allowed us to tailor the class to build knowledge and confidence through exploration, asking questions, and having Soldiers teach each other.”
Despite minor obstacles related to location, equipment, and resources, instructors adapted and completed the training. “We worked with what we had and overcame those challenges,” Korhonen said. “Those issues were captured in the after-action review to improve future training events.”
Training Impact and Key Takeaways Both instructors agreed the training had a significant and lasting impact on the participating units. Cohee emphasized the effectiveness of interactive instruction. “We asked questions, showed Soldiers the components, and had them identify and explain those components back to us,” he said. “Walking them step-by-step through start-up and shutdown procedures gave them a practical framework they could replicate in the field.”
Peer-to-peer support proved equally valuable. Soldiers who were initially hesitant were encouraged to work alongside their peers during hands-on tasks, fostering teamwork and easing discomfort with unfamiliar equipment.
Korhonen said the experience reinforced a broader lesson. “The Army has a tremendous amount of knowledge to offer,” he said. “If you humble yourself and seek that knowledge, it can only benefit you in the end.”
Thomas said the results were clear. “They walked away with a basic understanding of safety procedures, troubleshooting, and shutdown processes,” he said. “This training improves equipment usage and prepares our Soldiers for operating in a field environment, which directly supports mission readiness.”
| Date Taken: | 01.22.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 01.26.2026 12:22 |
| Story ID: | 556776 |
| Location: | BELL, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 30 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, 380th Hospital Center Builds Power Generation Readiness Through Operator-Level Generator Training, by LTC Kristin Porter, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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