By Capt. Daniel Boone and Maj. Mary Andrea Ugaddan
212th CSH Public Affairs
GRAFENWOEHR, Germany - The 212th Combat Support Hospital continues to treat simulated casualties evacuated from combat forces training at Exercise Combined Resolve IV May 29.
For the first time in Combined Resolve, medical capabilities are being exercised alongside combat capabilities. The 30th Medical Brigade is participating in the exercise this year, and the 212th is the only military field hospital on site providing a wide range of health services support and sustainable medical capability for 32 beds 24 hours a day.
The CSH began receiving notional patients May 27 and expects to continue treating these moulaged, or simulated casualties through June 3 as Europe's regionally aligned forces exercise maneuvers and live-fire in a wartime scenario.
Casualty scenarios included gunshot wounds, vehicle rollover, blast wounds as well as a mass casualty, a situation in which the types and/or numbers of casualties exceed the medical capability requiring the entire staff, medical and non-medical, to execute their plan accordingly to further evacuate or care for all casualties.
The 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team of the 3rd Infantry Division from Fort Stewart, Georgia, and the 4th Infantry Division headquarters from Fort Carson, Colorado, are the forces currently rotating in the region to support U.S. Army European Command. Exercise Combined Resolve IV brings these units together along with 4,700 participants from 13 NATO and allied partner nations to converge at Hohenfels and Grafenwoehr training areas for synchronized combat operations training.
Concurrently, the 212th CSH has been conducting immunizations, lab tests, vision screenings and electrocardiograms on live patients in a field environment.
The 361st Civil Affairs Brigade, based in Grafenwoehr, coordinated to have Soldiers seen at the CSH to conduct periodic health assessments. A PHA is a yearly health assessment that determines a Soldier's capability to deploy.
Meanwhile, 212th Soldiers soon leaving for two missions in support of the Africa Command, are completing their Soldier Readiness Processing to medically qualify for these missions.
The 212th successfully tested its ability to safely conduct live surgeries in a field environment while integrating NATO allies within its health care system last month during a live surgery exercise, or LIVEX. In Exercise Combined Resolve IV, the 212th is "boots on ground" for 18 days testing its capabilities to support unified operations on a global scale.
Maj. Daniel Perrington, a physician on staff with the 212th CSH, has noticed a change in the mindset of the unit's Soldiers during the past few months.
"Combined Resolve IV along with our LIVEX has permitted the 212th CSH to strengthen its ability to conduct operations in a stressful [austere] environment with life-saving responsibilities," he said.
This training exercise validated not only the 212th CSH's clinical operations but also its logistic operations. From convoy and linehaul, laundry and bath, nutrition care division, medical and ground maintenance, to the tactical operations center, the 212th CSH is fully mission-capable in all facets.
Maj. Paul Masters, officer in charge of the Emergency Medical Treatment Team, with two deployments under his belt, reiterated the success of this exercise.
"The realism of this training has greatly benefited the readiness of the 212th CSH. Furthermore, we have had the opportunity to work with two fine nurses from Bundeswehr, increasing interoperability."
Exercise Combined Resolve IV affirms that the 212th Combat Support Hospital is ready and able to support unified land operations at any moment's notice.
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