FORT LEVENWORTH, Kan. -- The safety of our beneficiaries and employees is one of the Army Surgeon General's priorities for all military treatment facilities. To protect and serve patients and staff, Munson Army Health Center is implementing armed security personnel to interact and have a strong presence at Fort Leavenworth's health center.
The presence and operations of the security force at the health center will be something new and out of the ordinary for patients at the Health Center.
"We are an organization that is continually reviewing what we've done, what we could do and ways to improve," said Paul Bihler, Munson Army Health Center security manager.
"Our recent addition of a Security Guard Supervisor and the pending onboarding of the Department of the Army Security Guards within the Medical Command controlled facilities will continue to improve our safety and security posture," Bihler said.
Bihler continues to conduct in-person training across the organization on workplace violence, active shooter and combative person protocols.
"Our training focus is on preparing our staff for the unexpected so that when they react to something, it won't be for the first time," Bihler said.
"When you learn to drive a car you are exposed to increasingly complex tasks in as controlled a manner as can be done, " he said. " Our training scenarios are the same. The goal is for staff to have the opportunity to learn or improve their skills in a controlled non-emergent environment so that they can have familiarity if something should happen in the future. This takes time and practice."
Department of the Army security guard, Lt. Bruce R. Moreland, Munson security supervisor, is a retired Military Police Officer and has worked at Fort Leavenworth as an installation security guard for 12 years. He is responsible for training staff on the new security measures and training the new security force.
"I interact with patients and staff building relationships and I will have the ability to respond quickly to any threat," Moreland said.
Moreland enjoys interacting with the staff members and has found the staff to be very friendly and appreciative of his services.
"As part of the Munson Team, the patient experience is also important to me. If patients need help finding their way or if they have a question, I can help. Making my presence known usually deters any escalation in any potential situation," Moreland said.
The patients and staff will begin to see more of the security force walking the halls in the next couple of months. In addition to armed security personnel on site, Munson has also implemented other electronic security devices and policy changes to help insure the safety of the staff and beneficiaries.
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