FORT KNOX, Ky. -- Nearly 400 Army Reserve Soldiers took a break from a Performance Triad program and spent the day completing a medical Soldier readiness process.
With hundreds of 200th Military Police Command Soldiers scheduled to mobilize during the next year, 290th Military Police Brigade leadership wanted to ensure Soldiers were medically ready to deploy if called to deploy.
"As Soldiers, we must be ready to answer the call," said Col. Malcolm McMullen, the brigade commander. "Unlike our active-duty counterparts, Reserve Soldiers have challenges when it comes to medical readiness. It can be a difficult, cumbersome process."
The medical section of the SRP includes a series of medical examinations and evaluations consistent with the physical stamina, upper body, lower body, hearing, eyes, and psychiatric rating scheme, which is used to qualify Soldier's physical profile for each military skill.
Soldiers received immunizations, blood samples and hearing tests. Upon completion of these and other tests, Soldiers met with health care providers to determine the overall deployability of the Soldiers.
McMullen said the majority of his Soldiers do not live near a military medical facility and must rely on their units full-time staff to schedule appointments.
"Our Soldiers are going to school and working in their communities," he said. "We are asking them to work with their unit leadership and schedule medical appointments in between their busy lives. We rely on them to follow through and make their appointments."
The 200th MPCOM medical officer said bringing everything to one location saves time and money for both the command and Soldier.
"We know it's difficult to make appointments," said Lt. Col. Annette Watts. "Today, we were able to bring everything to them in a one-stop shop. The only thing they had to do was walk through the door."
As the long hallway quickly filled with Soldiers, non-commissioned officers gave final instructions and divided the group into more manageable groups.
After checking in, Soldiers were given a small portable thumb drive that would be used as a repository of data as a Soldier moved through the half-dozen medical stations.
Watts said some Soldiers aren't able to afford to see a doctor, and events like this offer an opportunity for Soldiers to realize their health is important and they first must take care of themselves.
"We care about our warfighters," she said. "This is their opportunity to talk with health care professionals. Our Soldiers need to be healthy not only for the Army, but for their families as well."
After the last Soldier left, battalion staff looked through a roster with hundreds of signatures of Soldiers who filtered through gatekeepers before they boarded buses back to the Performance Triad.
"Anytime we can pause training to take care of Soldiers' health, it's good in my books," said McMullen. "These troops' health and well-being is my number one priority. No doubt in my mind, we have some of the best military police in the Army. They execute each mission we ask of them and do it without hesitation and do with a great attitude."
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