BELL, Calif. --The 349th Combat Support Hospital (CSH) held a deployment ceremony at Steven's Steakhouse, July 17, 2012.
"We are gathered here today for Soldiers and Families," said Col. Steven A. Severyn, 349th CSH forward commander. "Thank you all, whether it's your first, second, or third deployment. You are an elite group of individuals."
The 349th CSH's mission is to provide inpatient and outpatient services for all classes of patients and conduct command and control of units such as medical planning, support operations, personal support, logistical support, communications support, information management support, and laundry service support.
"They get to do the best job in the Army," said Maj. Gen. Craig A. Bugno, the commanding general of the 807th Medical Command (Deployment Support) or MDSC, which is the higher headquarters of the 349th CSH. "That job is to take care of the best Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines in the world."
Approximately 200 Soldiers of the 349th CSH will deploy to Kuwait to support current operations. This is the unit's third deployment. It has deployed to Landstuhl, Germany, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and also established and operated Afghanistan's main hospital and two small clinics from 2008 to 2009. Col. Darlene Santos has been the Commander of the 349th CSH since 2010.
"I have no doubt they will excel on this deployment," said Santos, who has been training the unit to perform their war mission. She congratulated the Soldiers for their hard work preparing for the deployment and wished them success on the mission and a safe return. In addition, Santos thanked the family members for their support.
Medical services are a key capability that the Army Reserve brings to the operational environment. The Reserve mans, trains, equips and deploys over two thirds of the Army's Medical Brigades and CSHs. During the past decade of war, the Army Reserve has become an essential part of the total force, with deployable forces and citizen Soldiers who embody the warrior mindset and spirit.
"The tradition of citizen Soldiers goes back to the foundation of our country," said Bugno. "These Soldiers are going on this mission to project the values of the United States and to give our enemies pause."
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