FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. -- In response to The Surgeon General's priority to hiring security forces across all military treatment facilities, General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital is implementing a security force to protect and serve patients and staff.
Some of the security officers may be familiar faces to patients and staff since they have come from other organizations on the installation.
Capt. Ronnie Putman, GLWACH Security Forces chief, is a retired Military Policeman and was chief of Fort Leonard Wood's Directorate of Emergency Services security force for installation access control.
Putman is aware that the presence and operations of his security force will be something new and out of the ordinary for patients at the hospital.
"As we interact with staff members and patients, they'll see us as a part of the GLWACH team because we've got a good group of people coming onboard--very competent, very trustworthy," Putman said.
Putman's lead security officers, Lt. Michael Koren and Lt. Gerald Parnell, explained their presence will focus on customer service-based operations in addition to security.
"Hi, how can I help you? Can I show you where anything is?" Koren said. "We'll escort people around, assist when and where needed. It's that kind of customer service we're talking about," Koren said.
Also a retired military policeman, Koren has been a Veterans Affairs police officer and is a Pulaski County reserve deputy sheriff.
"We're excited to be here, to get to work, and get to that point when we're out there walking around," Koren said.
Parnell was an MP for ten years and served as interim and deputy chief of DES guard forces on the installation since 2003.
Parnell says he enjoys the interaction of a security force customer service role.
"I get along with everybody," Parnell said. "I've never been in hospital security so when the opportunity presented itself, I talked it over with my wife and applied."
Putman says patients and staff will begin to see more of the security force walking the halls in about a month. He is building this force from the ground up so there are a few things to finalize prior to starting full security operations.
"I like this unique challenge of standing up a security force. I've got the opportunity to build it from the ground up and ensure a safe and secure environment in the hospital while ultimately supporting the installation security mission, " Putman said.
"Staff here seems to be really interested and excited about their new security team members getting involved and helping out and we're excited to get out there and pull our weight as members of the GLWACH team," Putman said.
(Editor's note: John Brooks is the marketing specialist at General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital)
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