Army Recently, Saying Deserved Heroes' Welcome When They Re- Was to Free Kuwait
Point of honor 93rd Evacuation Hospital claims record in setting up for Operation Desert Storm By Bill Roche was one of them. He said that while at Camp ESSAYONS Contributor Shelby, the members of the 93rd had only one chance to set up the On the face of it, the 93rd Evacuation Hos- 384-bed DEPMEDS. It was difficult, pital's mission during Operation Desert he said, but ultimately it was enough. Storm sounds routine: provide medical sup- "In Saudi, it was hard to remember port to the 82nd Airborne Division. how (to set it up) at first, but we got But ask the unit to carry out their mission better," he said. with an entirely new hospital configuration, So much better, claimed his commander, and ask them to augment their ranks with Col. George Sampson, that of the five evacua- personnel they've never met, and it doesn't tion hospitals supporting the XVIIIth Air- sound so simple any more. borne Corps, the 93rd set up its DEPMEDS The 93rd is a Medical Unit, Self-contained fastest, and was operational in record time. Transportable (MUST) hospital outfit. Its nor- Sgt. Kevin Harris, an operating room spe- mal field hospital facility is made up of a se- cialist, heard that claim as well. "I heard we ries of inflatable quonset hut-like wards kept set up fastest of any hospital in the theater," erect by huge, jet fuel-powered blowers. he said. "Of course, I can't verify that." When not in use, the 93rd keeps its blow-up But Harris added that it was teamwork, not hospital packed in shipping containers, ready speed, that was important.
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