DVIDS – News – AMLC focuses on medical readiness of Nationwide Guard, Reserve items

FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas — Army Medical Logistics Command leaders are tackling the problem of standardizing the processes and expertise Army items, together with the Nationwide Guard and Reserve, use to order medical tools and provides.

Army consultants gathered for a workshop Nov. 29 to Dec. 1, as a part of an ongoing initiative referred to as Medical Logistics in Campaigning. The trouble is geared toward streamlining medical materiel ordering and medical system upkeep whereas posturing the Army to be medically able to transition shortly from peacetime at residence station to an energetic operational atmosphere.

The initiative is the mixed effort of 16 completely different companies working to fantastic tune these processes utilizing obtainable applied sciences.

“Integrating medical logistics into the Army Sustainment Enterprise requires a Complete Army resolution,” stated Col. Jason Hughes, director of AMLC’s Strategic Initiatives Group. “The complexities of being arrayed throughout the USA and territories as a part-time power require a provide chain conscious of Army Reserve and Army Nationwide Guard medical necessities.”

Workshop attendees included representatives from the Medical Middle of Excellence, U.S. Army Medical Materiel Growth Exercise, U.S. Army Forces Command, U.S. Army Particular Operations Command, Workplace of The Surgeon Basic of the U.S. Army and Protection Logistics Company-Troop Help.

“This offsite allowed the enterprise to grasp the challenges of transitioning from a medical therapy facility ordering assemble and develop an consequence that permits our Nationwide Guard and Reserve companions to construct readiness and replicate processes used throughout disaster or battle,” Hughes stated.

At present, Nationwide Guard items pull medical materiel from warehouses situated stateside, utilizing separate ordering and stock methods that don’t “discuss” to the active-duty Army’s methods together with International Fight Help System-Army, or GCSS-Army.

Moreover, the group famous that reserves primarily rely on direct shipments from the nationwide or wholesale stage.

AMLC logistics administration specialist Pete Ramos stated transferring the Nationwide Guard and Reserve items right into a system that runs orders by a standardized, centrally managed course of — the identical methods and processes utilized by energetic responsibility — will enhance Complete Army readiness.

“AMLC will be capable to present oversight over the national-level processes and performance because the Army’s ‘finger on the heartbeat’ of medical materiel order satisfaction and distribution,” Ramos stated.

Moreover, the workforce advisable enhancements to unit-level medical upkeep procedures. AMLC’s Chief Warrant Officer 5 Lee Nelson stated Nationwide Guard Troopers ought to work intently with AMLC’s Medical Upkeep Operations Divisions, or MMODs, to develop further coaching expertise with subtle medical gadgets.

“I anticipate that when that is structured accurately, 68As (biomedical tools specialists) assigned to Army Nationwide Guard items will probably be offered extra alternatives to work on the tools that’s within the area,” Nelson stated.

Nelson added loading and monitoring tools with related upkeep plans in GCSS-Army can even improve visibility of the unit’s precise readiness. In different phrases, are the unit’s medical gadgets working and able to save lives when wanted in an operational atmosphere?

“The work will really be captured completely in GCSS-Army permitting the Nationwide Guard to higher see what must be completed versus what is finished,” Nelson stated. “That is doubtless going to extend the necessities and will probably be essential supporting information for future growth of the upkeep program.”

The workforce additionally explored the Reserve’s Medical Gear Focus Websites, or MECS, situated in Ogden, Utah, and Fort Dix, New Jersey, which focus totally on readiness of medical gadgets.

Jorge Magana, director of the Medical Upkeep Administration Directorate on the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Company, a direct reporting unit of AMLC, stated the workforce is exploring how you can develop this functionality.

“The MECS are the spine to the Reserve’s upkeep processes,” Magana stated, “and, if leveraged throughout the board as a requirement, they may present a big improve in medical tools readiness.”