DUBLIN, Calif. – In a critical display of medical and military readiness, approximately 140 U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers from the 349th Field Hospital (FH) converged on Parks Reserve Forces Training Area (aka Camp Parks) for their Annual Training from March 18-27, 2026. The training culminated in a large-scale validation of the unit's ability to perform its wartime mission: providing essential medical care in an expeditionary environment. The Bell, California-based unit, along with its subordinate commands—the 144th Minimal Care Detachment (MCD) from San Diego, the 272nd Surgical Augmentation Detachment (SAD), and the 324th Intermediate Care Ward (ICW)—transformed the installation’s Regional Training Site, Medical (RTS-Med) into a fully operational hospital. For many, it was their first time training at the facility.
According to Maj. Justin Frush of the 349th FH, the primary goal was to forge a cohesive and validated expeditionary hospital. “The primary purpose of this exercise was to build a cohesive, expeditionary hospital ready for its wartime mission,” said Frush. “We achieved this by focusing on individual Soldier readiness, building a cohesive team through extensive cross-training, and validating our Mission Essential Tasks in a full-scale Mass Casualty (MASCAL) exercise.” The unit features a deep roster of medical professionals, highlighting the wide range of specialized career fields available in Army medicine. This diverse team includes Critical Care Nurses, Respiratory Specialists, and Biomedical Equipment Specialists alongside surgeons and combat medics—underwent intensive training.Soldiers cross-trained on 34 different critical medical tasks, breaking down functional silos and creating a more flexible and resilient team.
The strategic location and unique facilities at Camp Parks were instrumental to the training’s success. “Camp Parks was an outstanding choice for this exercise,” Frush explained. “Having a full-scale, static field hospital ready and waiting was a game-changer. It allowed us to maximize our limited training time by focusing on our primary mission: patient care and team integration. That is a capability not readily available elsewhere.”
Col. Steven R. Ford, commander of RTS-Med at Camp Parks, noted the significance of providing this specialized training environment and equipment for visiting units like the 349th FH.
"Our mission at RTS-Med is to provide Army Reserve medical units with the most realistic, state-of-the-art training environment possible," said Ford. "By maintaining a fully operational, static field hospital, we allow units like the 349th Field Hospital to hit the ground running. Instead of spending their valuable annual training days on logistics and setup, they can immediately focus on what truly matters: honing their medical skills, cross-training their personnel, and building a cohesive, combat-ready team."
Beyond providing the physical infrastructure, Ford emphasized that RTS-Med also offers critical academic instruction to round out a unit's capabilities. "In addition to the hands-on field execution, the 349th Field Hospital also received RTS-MED classroom training that helped the Soldiers of the unit learn how to plan for hospital layout design and establishment, and also train in low-density MOS skills," he added.
The importance of this capability was also echoed by the Camp Parks Garrison Commander, Lt. Col. Richard King. “Seeing a unit like the 349th Field Hospital leverage our Regional Training Site for Medical to its full potential is exactly why Camp Parks is a premier training destination,” said King. “It allows our visiting units to bypass the setup and get straight to the high-level medical and team integration training that saves lives. We are proud to provide the critical infrastructure that builds Army Reserve readiness.”
Frush emphasized that this level of training generates readiness that is vital to the U.S. Army and the joint force. It builds confidence in individual Soldiers and ensures the Army Reserve can provide a capable, expeditionary medical force anywhere in the world.
“The successful completion of the 349th's Annual Training is a win for the total force,” added King. “They brought together medical professionals from across the country and, in just ten days, forged them into a validated, mission-ready hospital. It’s a testament to the quality of their Soldiers and leaders.”
As their training concluded, the 349th Field Hospital departed not just as individual specialists, but as a single, synchronized, and validated field hospital, ready for the call, according to Frush.
“We would absolutely like to extend our sincere appreciation to the entire staff at RTS-Med, COL Ford and team,” added Frush. “Their professionalism and support were instrumental in the success of our training.”