USAMMDA fields critical medical capability, Fort Polk units ready with first Holistic Health and Fitness equipment

By Denver Beaulieu-HainsNovember 4, 2022

USAMMDA fields the first Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) sets at Ft Polk
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Fort Polk units received more than $2.8 million worth of new medical equipment, including the first Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) sets from the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity (USAMMDA). (Photo Credit: Courtesy Photo) VIEW ORIGINAL
USAMMDA fields the first Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) sets at Ft Polk
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – USAMMDA fields critical medical capability, Ft. Polk units are ready with first Holistic Health and Fitness equipment (Photo Credit: Courtesy Photo) VIEW ORIGINAL
USAMMDA fields the first Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) sets at Ft Polk
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – USAMMDA fields critical medical capability, Ft. Polk units are ready with first Holistic Health and Fitness equipment (Photo Credit: Courtesy Photo) VIEW ORIGINAL

During the month of September, units at Fort Polk, Louisiana, received more than $2.8 million worth of new equipment, including the first deployable Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) equipment from the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity (USAMMDA), a subordinate command under the U.S. Army Research and Development Command at Fort Detrick, Maryland.

During fielding, USAMMDA provides various types of medical equipment in configurations of sets, kits and outfits to directly support medics, field hospitals and ground and air evacuation. Officials say the receipt of the H2F directly supports the Army’s objectives for the holistic health of Soldiers and objectives for a resilient force.

“While onsite, we supervised materiel and equipment inventory, property validation and [property] transfers, as well as, the necessary assistance regarding shortages and damaged equipment, serial number corrections and national stock number questions,” said Amanda Wells, assistant product manager at USAMMDA. “We provide on-site support to fully prepare the units with necessary equipment and sets to allow them to be mission ready.”

“If we are connected spiritually, get good sleep, nutrition and physical fitness, and we’ve got mental resiliency, that’s going to prepare us for large-scale ground combat,” said Command Sgt. Major of the Army Michael A. Grinston, during recent interview.

Grinston says resilience and readiness go hand-in-hand.

During this fielding, the 115th Field Hospital, the 286th Signal Company, and the 509th Infantry Regiment received support and equipment from USAMMDA’s Warfighter Health, Warfighter Performance and Evacuation (WHPE) Project Management Office (PMO), Medical Devices and Assemblages Management, and the Force Sustainment Directorate. The H2F was a direct shipment, officials said, and the planning and fielding of this kind takes up to one-year of coordination between the gaining units and USAMMDA staff.

According to USAMMDA’s Maureen Milano, deputy PMO of WHPE, the fielding of the MES H2F achieves initial operational capability for deployable units.

The H2F is the Army’s newest system for human performance optimization, addressing Soldier wellness and readiness.

The equipment is for the H2F professionals in deployable units, physical therapists, occupational therapists and dieticians, and is similar to the equipment that would be used in a fixed facility for the use of medical personnel. Its equipment to support the Warfighters. When products are delivered. They are packed in functional sets and ready to use.