“What we have here at WAREX is the integration of an exercise referred to as Global Medic, which is very centric to medical operations,” offered Brig. Gen. James Cook, then-commander of the 91st Training Division. “We have integrated them in so that we give them a real-world experience with other military variables. For example, we send convoys out, have them ambushed, and then send the injured soldiers for treatment and medevac. And instead of simulating all of this, we actually have the services in place.”

Many of those critical services were present at Global Medic 2012 in the 228th CSH and the 452nd CSH, which deployed to Fort Hunter Liggett from Fort Sam Houston (San Antonio), Texas, and Milwaukee, Wis., respectively.

As director of the training site at Camp Parks, Calif., Col. Dee Sawyers deployed to Fort Hunter Liggett with a slice of that element to help support the training goals of the CSH elements and other medical personnel participating in the event.

“It’s up to the [CSH] commanders as to how they want to lay out their forces and capabilities,” she said. “And part of their training event is to come in; to ‘stake’ that out; inventory all the equipment that makes up a 44-bed slice; and then it is issued to them.

“The application of a CSH is not only for combat injuries,” she added. “It is also a capability that we could bring into another country for things like humanitarian assistance. It is the largest element that we have in the medical inventory that has everything. At lower levels, you might have a blood detachment or a ground ambulance detachment. But this is the first time that you see everything come together.”

Sawyers said that an important aspect of the event involved “exercising all the medical specialties, because in the Reserves, especially, there can be an atrophy of skills. If a Reserve unit is not deployed, they may not have those skills being challenged as often. As a result, training is even more important. We need to get the biggest bang for our buck while making it realistic and sustainable, so that our medical personnel will feel confident that, not matter where they are deployed or what level of application of their skills, they can do it.”

Out in the field, Col. John Fasano, commander of the 228th CSH, walked through his recently established facility, outlining patient flow and care capabilities of the CSH.

It was immediately apparent that the Army Reserve medical exercise incorporated an impressive level of joint service professionalism.

“I represent the Navy Medicine component of this exercise,” explained Navy Capt. Mark Chung, who served as the senior medical officer and Joint Task Force Surgeon for Global Medic 2012. “That role includes overseeing the training of our Navy personnel to ensure that they are well integrated with the Army and to also ensure that my Navy corpsmen and nurse officers are undergoing the training that they need. I also have the tasking of planning for the future. So in that role, I am developing planning for next year’s exercise in terms of: What can Navy Medicine bring back to this exercise next year? What are the missing pieces? What further can we contribute? For example, they are a little short on Army physicians. So we can bring out our Navy physicians to not only support their operations but also to enhance our training.”

Asked about messages for today’s warfighters about the Navy’s role in the joint service CSH setting, he offered, “We bring additional skill sets and enhancements. Most importantly, when a wounded service member arrives at a Navy hospital or a tri-service hospital, they need to know that they are getting the best of all of the Army, Air Force, and Navy in terms of skill sets and specialties. This exercise is premier. This is ideal. It can’t get any better than this.”