Pictured: Emergency room personnel work together to move patient for X-Ray procedures during Operation Forge, March 3 at the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Johnson, Louisiana. VIEW ORIGINAL
Pictured: Medics from the 115th Field Hospital physically restrain a patient during Operation Forge, March 3 at the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Johnson, Louisiana. VIEW ORIGINAL
Pictured: Capt. Claudia Groves, a critical care nurse assigned to the 115th Field Hospital, with duty at Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas works in the emergency department during Operation Forge, March 2 at the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Johnson, Louisiana. VIEW ORIGINAL
FORT JOHNSON, La. – The 115th Field Hospital, 32nd Hospital Center, 1st Medical Brigade, honed its medical readiness during a 12-day field training exercise, Feb. 24 – March 7, at the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Johnson, Louisiana.
As part of Operation Forge, Soldiers demonstrated their ability to rapidly deploy and operate a 42-bed field hospital, providing Role 3 health service support to friendly forces in a simulated corps support area. According to Health.mil a Role 3 field hospital provides the full range of preventive, acute, restorative, and convalescent care typically found in Unites States based hospitals and robust overseas facilities.
Medical units, like the 115th Field Hospital, are unique, with a percentage of medical providers working in Army Medical Centers, hospitals, and clinics across the force. These professionals come together for collective training exercises like Operation Forge, ensuring they are ready to deploy at a moment’s notice to provide critical medical support wherever needed.
Maj. Carmen Salcedo, operations officer for the 32nd Hospital Center, was heavily involved in the planning efforts for this exercise.
“Our goal for Operation Forge was to increase our collective training, readiness, and proficiency as an expeditionary Role 3 medical treatment facility,” she said. “The challenge was to exercise our unit’s core mission in a large-scale combat operational environment.”
Salcedo emphasized that the 115th Field Hospital must be capable of deploying on short notice to provide health service support and force health protection to U.S. troops and allies almost immediately upon arrival in a combat theater.
“If called, our unit will provide damage control resuscitation and surgery as far forward as the division support area,” she said. “The 32nd Hospital Center staff provides medical command and control for up to two field hospitals.”
Lt. Col. Andrey Tsepelev, commander of the 115th Field Hospital, noted that the expeditionary nature of the unit has not been tested extensively during the Global War on Terrorism but remains critical in preparing for future conflicts.
“This training was designed to increase the proficiency and collective tasks of our Soldiers, with a focus on expeditionary deployment operations,” he said. “This will improve our ability to deploy and set up in a variety of austere environments quickly and efficiently.”
Tsepelev stressed that contested environments will be a major factor in future conflicts, particularly against near-peer adversaries.
“We developed this training exercise as if freedom of movement might be limited,” he said. “We conducted a three-day phased arrival, including an advance party, main body, and trail elements, simulating a scenario where we deploy overseas under constrained conditions to execute our mission.”
First Sgt. Samuel Garcia, a combat medic and senior enlisted advisor to the 115th Field Hospital commander, praised the expertise and dedication of the unit’s Soldiers.
“We are medically sound, always training, always studying,” he said. “Medically, these Soldiers are amazing, and they are some of the best
clinicians I’ve had the privilege to work with. However, we don’t always get the chance to practice the tactical side. This exercise has been a great opportunity to improve, refine, and integrate those critical skills.”
Over the course of the exercise, Garcia said the unit demonstrated proficiency in both individual and collective tasks, reinforcing their ability to operate effectively in combat conditions.
Col. Werner Barden, brigade commander, 1st Medical Brigade, Fort Cavazos, Texas, traveled to Fort Johnson to observe the training firsthand.
“The unit put months of preparation into planning this exercise, and it shows,” he said. “I applaud the 32nd Hospital Center for testing current lessons learned in simulated large scale combat operations outside of traditional fixed facilities. This break beyond established doctrine demonstrates how hospital centers can shape the expeditionary environment while remaining effective and efficient."
Barden emphasized that exercises like Operation Forge offer Soldiers the opportunity to not only practice but demonstrate both individual and collective medical proficiency.
The 115th Field Hospital’s mission directly supports the Secretary of Defense’s priorities, particularly strengthening force readiness and preparing for large-scale combat operations. By training in a realistic, contested environment, the unit ensures that Army Medicine is postured to provide expeditionary medical support in an era of strategic competition. Their ability to rapidly deploy and sustain life-saving medical care aligns with the Pentagon’s focus on ensuring military forces remain agile, resilient, and prepared for future conflicts.
Editor’s Note: This story was written in cooperation with Maj. Samuel Burns and Spc. Marjory Wood, Unit Public Affairs Representatives for 1st Medical Brigade and the 32nd Hospital Center. Their insight and assistance ensured the accuracy of this story and the efforts of their unit.
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