Photo By Spc. David McCarthy | Lt. Col. Theodore O. White, commander of the 189th CSSB, speaks with Staff Sgt....... read more read more
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FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — Just outside of Normandy Drop Zone, set back into the woods, is a tent sprawling over a large area. Unlike traditional Army tents, this tent contains the 28th Combat Support Hospital. The CSH is an entire hospital set in a field environment; it has nearly all the amenities of a traditional hospital, including an operating room, an x-ray machine, laboratory and triage units. “This is pretty much as close to Womack as you can get in a field environment,” said Col. Diane Scherr, Chief Nurse of the 28th CSH. “This is a great training opportunity for our soldiers,” she said.
The CSH is an integral part of any deployed unit. Typically, the entire hospital is to be up and running in 24 to 96 hours. “You wouldn’t believe how much work it takes to set all of this up,” said Scherr, “We still manage to have nearly everything we need up and running within the twenty-four hour time frame,” she said.
Soldiers involved in the field training exercise were supported by sustainment soldiers from the 189th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion. Lt. Col. Theodore O. White, battalion commander, visited the CSH, March 7, to see how the soldiers were doing. “The sustainment soldiers we’ve provided gave a significant morale boost to the 28th CSH soldiers as they execute their FTX,” said White. “By doctrine, medical soldiers must maintain personal hygiene due to their sensitive working environment,” he said.
Providing water and shower support presents its own set of unique obstacles to overcome. “We had a few challenges facing us at the beginning,” said Staff Sgt. Maurice Foreman, NCOIC of the shower team assigned to the 44th Medical Brigade. “Our biggest challenge was issues with the drainage system. The terrain we set up on was not totally even so we had to make sure that we corrected for that with the showers so that the water would drain properly,” he said.
During Lt. Col. White’s tour of the CSH the commander of the 28th CSH, Col. Scott Putzier spoke about how appreciative soldiers participating in the field training exercise are to have showers. “A lot of these soldiers are really glad to be able to have a hot shower on these cold mornings,” said Putzier. “Having an effective group of sustainment soldiers providing high quality services can have a huge impact on soldiers in a training environment like this,” he said.
Overall, the grouping of sustainment operations combined with the setting and atmosphere of the 28th CSH has led to a positive training environment. Following the inspection of the showers, Command Sgt. Maj. Kevin L. Williams, of the 189th CSSB, handed out coins to the individuals involved in maintaining and sustaining the showers for the 28th CSH.
After finishing the tour of the 28th CSH, White thanked the soldiers for their hard work and congratulated them on a job well done. “There is no doubt that the soldiers of the 259th Quartermaster Company have provided a critical element to this medical unit’s mission,” said White.
| Date Taken: | 03.07.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 03.12.2012 14:01 |
| Story ID: | 85111 |
| Location: | FAYETTEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 451 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, 82nd Sustainment Brigade provides showers, water, by SPC David McCarthy, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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