Photo By Maj. Ramah Knox | Sgt. Lauren Brandquest is a behavioral health technician assigned to Company C, 334th...... read more read more
Sgt. Lauren Brandquest is a behavioral health technician assigned to Company C, 334th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, Iowa Army National Guard.
Brandquest joined the military ten years ago for the college benefits, but she also grew up around the military – her dad was a first sergeant in the Army. Even though she joined for the benefits, she continues to serve because of the Soldiers she leads.
As a behavioral health technician, Brandquest assists with mental health patients’ treatment. This position helps Soldiers with personal, behavioral, or psychological problems. Currently, she’s ensuring the readiness of units during her unit’s annual training at an eXportable Combat Training Center (XCTC) rotation at Camp Ripley, Minnesota.
This 2024 XCTC rotation has over 5,000 Soldiers participating in training and support staff from eight different states. The exercise provides a training environment where Soldiers can learn and build for the next step: the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC), one of the four elite military training centers in the U.S.
When Brandquest is not serving in uniform, she’s working as an intensive care unit nurse in her civilian career. Although she different jobs in her civilian and military careers, she shared:
“They blend really well together because the behavioral health side helps me to be more empathetic when I am at the bed side in the intensive care unit,” said Brandquest. “It makes me ask more questions - like why are the patients not taking their meds, or why are they being resistant to care? And many times, it’s that people want to be heard.”
Her experience with military patient care has empowered her to be confident in her decisions and leadership style as an intensive care nurse.
“Being in the military, you are put in situations that are high pressure and high stakes and you have to perform,” said Brandquest. “Being an intensive care unit nurse, it allows me to keep a calm head and communicate. The military has given me the confidence in my decisions, have a good managerial leadership style and to talk with enlisted [Soldiers] and leadership.”
Brandquest currently co-leads a team of 9-13 Soldiers in the military. Brandquest expressed that XCTC has been a great opportunity for her Soldiers to use their medical skillsets, especially those who don’t work in healthcare in their civilian careers.
“They have really risen to the occasion in both in the training scenario environment and real-world injuries, often at the same time,” said Brandquest. “All of teams stay up late and do not complain – XCTC is the putting it all together piece. The [reason] why we have to do this inspection on a truck, or why do we record [things] that way? The details matter here and they get to see that.”
| Date Taken: | 07.21.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 07.21.2024 11:35 |
| Story ID: | 476684 |
| Location: | CAMP RIPLEY, MINNESOTA, US |
| Web Views: | 81 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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