Hospital receives improvements

Photo By Sgt. Marshall Thompson | Tina Ratisher, executive assistant for the commander of the Army Field Support Battalion, and Jimmy Shull, deputy commander of the Army Materiel Command, present items donated to the Air Force Theater Hospital at Logistical Support Area Anaconda to Col. Donald Taylor, commander of the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group.  

04.27.2006

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Civilians from the Army Materiel Command raised money to purchase big screen TVs, video game systems, video games, movies and more for the Air Force Theater Hospital to help improve the stay for wounded service-members as well as local nationals.

Tina Ratisher, executive assistant for the commander of the Army Field Support Battalion, and Jimmy Shull, deputy commander of the Army Materiel Command, presented three 29-inch TVs, DVD players, as well as movies and music all worth over $1,800.

"But that's not all," Ratisher said. "We've ordered a couple of Play Station 2s and a bunch of video games." She said that the video games and gaming systems should arrive within a week.

"You've complicated my problem," said Col. Donald Taylor, commander of the 332d Expeditionary Medical Group (EMDG) in charge of the hospital. "Now I'll have to work even harder to get Soldiers to go back to the front."

Ratisher got the idea for the project while volunteering at the hospital. She had gathered small items like books and toiletries for the wounded service-members, but wanted to do a bit more.

"I knew there was stuff they needed so I started asking the docs what they needed," Ratisher said. "We wanted to get something bigger and more expensive than normal."

The hospital personnel told her about the need for televisions and items to keep the wounded service-members entertained.

"We talked about getting TVs and maybe some Arabic music for the Iraqis to listen to," said Air Force Master Sgt. Diego Sanchez, hospital ward NCOIC with the 332d EMDG.

Sanchez said the patients used to crowd around the single TV in the ward.

"It keeps them entertained," Sanchez said. "They love to kind of forget about the ward and relax a bit before they have to go back out to the battle field."

After finding out the need, Ratisher asked the people she worked with to donate money during a meeting.

"Everyone went right to their wallets and hundred dollar bills started coming out," Shull said.
"People gave her money for the rest of the day."

Thanks to the generosity of her co-workers, Ratisher had enough for the project by the end of the day. Still, those involved want to make the improvements a constant process.

"I just love people and love making them smile," Ratisher said.

• Date Taken: 04.27.2006
• Date Posted: 04.27.2006 10:40
• Story ID: 6137