EDINBURGH, Ind. — C Company, 113th Brigade Sustainment Battalion, 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team from the Indiana Army National Guard, otherwise known as "Charlie Med", was able to treat almost anything medically at Camp Atterbury during the 2017 Spring Field Training Exercise.
This was the final training exercise the brigade conducted while preparing for its Joint Readiness Training Center rotation during annual training 2017.
"During any training, Soldiers have medical care available if there are injuries," said Sgt. First Class Cory Hasik.
Each tent in the medical center has a different function supporting various injury possibilities.
Sick call is available to treat any ailment that may occur in the field, from bronchitis to something as simple as muscle spasms. Once the Soldier has a diagnosis, medical staff either sends the patient back to the field or moves them to a higher level of care.
Trauma treatment is available all the time.
Hasik said, "Patient housing holds 20 beds that Soldiers may recover in for up to 72 hours."
Additional medical assets include the blood laboratory, a physical therapist, an orthopaedic surgeon and two behavioral health specialists.
Charlie Med arrives with those same assets but within four to five hours they set up a medical center capable of treating almost any illness or injury.
Staff Sgt. Paul Bobish said, "Forward line ambulances are coordinated through one operation center to another and the medical team has 10 minutes to respond after being notified of the location, type of injury, level of potential threats, and basic Soldier information."
Nine line medical evacuations are radioed directly to Charlie Med in order to provide the correct medical response teams.
Medical aid stations in the field have infrastructure and networking to hospitals nearby for anything they can't provide in the field.
Each ambulance has litters, suction devices, and other common items found on a basic lifesaving ambulance to treat field injuries.
Depending on the situation and severity, medical air evacuation is available at the Charlie Med center.
The Spring FTX allows Charlie Med to test and stress their capabilities to adequately prepare to support the brigade Soldiers for JRTC.