JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST -- Personnel from the 87th Medical Group and the U.S. Army Reserve Medical Command collaborated to support Soldiers participating in a joint training exercise called Operation Cold Steel II, here.
The mission-critical exercise is a large-scale weapons qualifications course used to ensure Soldiers are combat ready, and will bring more than 1,000 Soldiers to Joint Base MDL between July and September. As the lone military treatment facility on the installation, the 87th MDG partnered with AR-MEDCOM to handle the influx of medical support requirements as well as maximize the joint training benefits.
The collaboration marks the first time since Joint Base MDL was established that personnel from the 87th MDG have had an opportunity to incorporate a team of sister service medics into daily operations for an extended period of time.
“The joint medical planning efforts culminated in the integration of a 12-member troop medical clinic into the 87th MDG clinic facility and operations,” said Army Sgt. Maj. Glenn Y. DelRosario, chief medical NCO and AR-MEDCOM planner. “The [troop medical clinic] is comprised of medical providers, nurses, technicians, and administrative staff and will remain housed in the clinic for the duration of the exercise.”
By using their service-specific tools, members of the clinics will be able to expedite access to Soldiers’ information and facilitate the validation of existing processes that have a direct impact on medical readiness and support for Soldiers reporting to Joint Base MDL.
“The clinic is organized and resourced to provide full-time medical support to nearly 17,000 enrolled beneficiaries,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Liza Guzman, 87th MDG administrator. “Our innovative team constantly adjusts and adapts operations to support more than 145,000 total force service members who visit JB MDL for required training each year.”
The support agreement is the result of a partnership between the services and the support of leaders in AR-MEDCOM, Air Mobility Command and the Air Force Medical Operations Agency. Joint Base leaders are optimistic that the integration can only benefit the medical readiness of the installation.
U.S. Air Force Col. Jason Lennen, 87th MDG commander, highlighted the critical importance of the joint collaboration.
“Our partnership with AR-MEDCOM to provide care to our Soldiers and assistance to our Air Force medics to do the same will greatly enhance the joint base team’s ability to produce medically-ready forces and ready medical forces in support of our nation’s defense,” said Lennen.