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Urban Augmentation Medical Task Forces

Friday, May 8, 2020

What is it?

Urban Augmentation Medical Task Forces (UAMTF) provide an expeditionary, deployable and scalable medical staff to reinforce impacted communities across the nation. Each 85-Soldier unit provides critical capability in support of the Joint Force Land Component Commander (JFLCC) COVID-19 response.

UAMTFs are comprised of medical professionals from Army Reserve units assigned to 3d and 807th Medical Commands (Deployment Support), and Army Reserve Medical Command

What are the current and past efforts of the Army?

The Army mobilized more than a dozen UAMTFs to support the coronavirus relief efforts and curb the spread of the disease in impacted cities, including New York City, Newark, Boston, Detroit and Philadelphia. Each is capable of meeting unique local requirements, from augmenting hospital staffs to supporting up to 250 patients at FEMA medical stations nationwide. These non-doctrinal formations do not come with equipment, medicines, or ICU capability; however, UAMTF’s do provide:

  • High-end medical capability: including clinical staff, operational medicine, infectious disease, preventive medicine, nursing, respiratory therapist, clinical psychologist, occupational therapy, dietician, pharmacist, and other medical specialists.
  • Resident expertise: highly tailorable and adaptable to a range of evolving requirements, augmenting medical capacity at hospitals and long-term care facilities.

What continued efforts does the Army have planned?

Army Reserve formations will continue to support the nation in the fight against COVID-19 with capabilities such as logistics, engineering, military intelligence, aviation, legal, and military history expertise:

  • 377th Theater Sustainment Command: has an operational mission to support U.S. Northern Command during contingency operations, including logistics and sustainment operations.
  • 76th Operational Response Command: serves as a regional lead for the ARNORTH-led federal response efforts within the western United States.
  • Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officers: About 180 officers coordinate the Army’s ongoing response among Department of Defense, federal, state and local governments, and nongovernmental organizations.
  • 4th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary): oversees regional administrative and integration operations.
  • 505th Military Intelligence Brigade: Soldiers using analytical skills to gather information for Defense Support to Civil Authorities.
  • 412th and 416th Theater Engineer Commands: are providing engineering planning and experience.
  • Army Reserve Aviation Command: Fixed-wing aviators are transporting military medical personnel to some of the hardest-hit areas.

Why is this important to the Army?

UAMTFs validates Army Reserve’s Ready Force X construct and demonstrates its capability as both a global force provider to the JFLCC, and an agile, adaptable asset in the homeland. Specifically created to respond in times of crisis, UAMTFs augment the civilian medical community in the fight against the coronavirus. Bringing enhanced civilian skills, training, and experience, Army Reserve Soldiers are uniquely suited to address this mission requirement.

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Events

May 2020

National Asian Pacific Heritage Month

May 8: Military Spouse Appreciation Day | Visit U.S. Army Families

May 10: Mother’s Day | Visit U.S. Army Families

May 16: Armed Forces Day

May 25: Memorial Day

Focus Quote for the Day

By leveraging our Ready Force X construct we were able to reorganize our critical medical capabilities into an entirely new type of unit, assemble 15 of them, and have them ready to deploy to cities across the country – all in less than two weeks. We moved at the speed of heat and it's as awesome as it is amazing. We expected a different fight, in a different place, against a different foe, but this is the fight we're in and we're here to win it.

Lt. Gen Charles D. Luckey, chief of Army Reserve and commanding general, U.S. Army Reserve Command