The 28th Combat Support Hospital (28th CSH) was a Combat Support Hospital of the United States Army. It was first constituted in 1943 and served in China during World War II. During the Gulf War in 1990, it was the first Army hospital unit established and deployed into Iraq with combat forces of the XVIII Airborne Corps. More recently it has been involved in relief operations following natural disasters and has undertaken several recent deployments to Iraq. The unit fell under the command of the 44th Medical Brigade and was based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
As part of an Army wide force restructuring, the 28th Combat Support Hospital was reorganized and redesignated as the 528th Field Hospital in April 2020. Its assets were also used to resource the 16th Hospital Center, the 437th Medical Detachment (Surgical), the 430th Medical Detachment, and the 131st Medical Detachment.
History
The "Chief Cuddler" on display at Fort Sam Houston. Made by Staff Sgt. Adam R. Irby a member of the 28th Combat Support Hospital, to safely rewarm patients in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit in Iraq in 2003.
The 28th Combat Support Hospital was originally constituted on 25 May 1943.[2] It was activated the following month in the Army of the United States as the 28th Portable Surgical Hospital based at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland.[3] Following this it was deployed to the China Burma India Theater of World War II for which it was awarded two campaign participation credits: "China Defensive" and "China Offensive". For their involvement in the campaign the unit received the special designation of the "China Dragons".[4] Following the end of hostilities, the unit was inactivated on 20 December 1945 in India.[3]
With the expansion of the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War, the decision was made to reactivate the unit in 1967. This occurred on 25 July, however, prior to that occurring, the unit was officially redesignated as the 28th Surgical Hospital on 18 April 1967 and allotted to the Regular Army. Upon reactivation, the 28th was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and was brought up to operational status, fielding the Medical Unit, Self-contained, Transportable (MUST) system, which replaced the equipment sets that the Surgical Hospitals had previously been using.[2][5] On 21 December 1972, the unit was reorganized and redesignated as the 28th Combat Support Hospital.[3]
In 1990, the 28th CSH deployed to Southwest Asia as part of the US contribution to the Gulf War. They were the first Army hospital to be set up during Operation Desert Shield and later during the ground operations phase of the conflict, the 28th CSH crossed into Iraq in support of the XVIII Airborne Corps.[2] Prior to the deployment, the hospital was still equipped with the old MUST equipment as it had not been scheduled to receive the new Deployable Medical System (DEPMEDS) equipment until 1992, however, due to the urgency of the situation they were rapidly re-equipped.[5] The 28th CSH remained in Iraq for a month following the end of the war, during which time it treated a number of Iraqi civilians and prisoners of war.[2] For its involvement in the Gulf War, the 28th CSH received two campaign participation credits: "Defense of Saudi Arabia" and "Liberation and Defense of Kuwait".[3]
Captain Ernest Dorema, an officer in charge of the emergency room at the 28th Combat Support Hospital shows Sinna Abdul Azeez, an anesthesiologist with Yarmouk Hospital, how to use a Combat Application Tourniquet on the leg of a mock casualty during an exercise as a part of Operation Medical Alliance held at Sather Air Base, 7 April 2007.
In 2001, the 28th CSH was deployed to the Balkans before taking part in the 2003 invasion of Iraq.[6] Subsequently, they established themselves in an Iraqi hospital in the Green Zone in Baghdad.[7][8] In 2006, the unit was deployed to Baghdad, undertaking a 15-month tour stationed at Ibn Sina Hospital. In October 2009, the 28th Combat Support Hospital deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom where it operated medical treatment facilities in several different locations around the country providing health care to service members, DOD civilians, US contractors, third country nationals, Iraqi civilians, and many others. The 28th CSH continued to serve during Operation New Dawn and redeployed back to Ft. Bragg, North Carolina in October 2010 after 12 months of service.[9]
In 2013–2014, 28 CSH deployed to Bagram, Afghanistan. Throughout the 12-month tour, they earned the nickname "Sky Medics".[10]
In May 2016, a task force medical team from the 28th Combat Support Hospital deployed to Iraq.[11] They were designated as Task Force Medical 28. TFMED28 was the first Role III CSH to come back into theater after the troop draw down to support Operation Inherent Resolve. They had built a Role III tent hospital to support all medical aspects of Iraq and Syria. The team redeployed in February 2017 and was replaced by a task force medical team from 21st Combat Support Hospital.[citation needed]
In October 2018, the 28 CSH hosted the FY 19 Fall XVIII Airborne Corps Expert Field Medical Badge (EFMB) on behalf of the 44th Medical Brigade on Fort Bragg. Despite the FY18 Army-wide EFMB statistics reflecting only a 13% pass rate, the first testing of FY19 produced 77 badge holders of the 255 candidates that were in-processed; resulting in a 30% pass rate.[citation needed]
In March 2019, the 28 CSH undertook a field Training Exercise (FTX) that incorporated nine internal units and 12 external units and organizations. As a result, the Emergency Medical Treatment (EMT) section incorporated Medical Hands-Free Unified Broadcast (MEDHUB) Operational Test and Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC); the Patient Administration Director (PAD) Section incorporated US Transportation Command Regulating Command and Control Evacuation System (TRAC2ES) via the 43rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron Aeromedical Evacuation Liaison Team (AELT) and Joint Patient Assessment Tracking System (JPATS); 690 Medical Company Ground Ambulance provided in-route care to multiple casualties from the Womack Army Medical Center (WAMC) MASCAL exercise from Point of Injury (POI) through all roles of care; incorporated Medical Hands-Free Unified Broadcast (MEDHUB) Operational Test. CLINOPS incorporated MTOE Assigned Personnel (MAPs) integration into the CSH, validated the FBNC Pre-hospitalization plan; executed the Capability Development Integration Directorate (CDID) proof of concept: 4-bed (FST w/ ICU) and further build to 10-bed w/ EMT+ PLX, eventually complexing a 44- bed hospital in under 72 hours, and conducted the second ever cadaver lab in the CSH footprint; which trained over 60 medical procedures needed to meet ICTLs. The Operations and Clinical Operations section planned and executed the first ever combined student liberation/ repatriation exercise with C/1-1 SWTG (A) SERE-C and C/3-82d GSAB Aeromedical evacuation (AE) assets; resulting in SERE students traveling from Role 1 to Role 3 medical care. The CSH S6 tested and validated the Tampa Microwave Local Area Network system with 50 Expeditionary Signal Battalion – Enhanced (ESB-E); provided feedback towards efforts to improve the Army's prototype (ESB-E) for future Signal operations.[citation needed]
In April 2020, the 28 CSH transformed into the 16th Hospital Center and 528th Field hospital in order to meet the demands of multi-domain battle and provide expeditionary Health Service Support and hospitalization. The mission is: deploy to provide mission command for up to two functioning Field Hospitals (32 BED). The subordinate Field Hospital will be the 528th Field Hospital. Their mission is to deploy to provide hospitalization (32 BED) and outpatient services to all classes of patients in a theater of operations. Under the 528th FH, there will be the 437th MED DET (SURG) with the mission: deploy to augment the capabilities of the Field Hospital (32 BED) with thoracic, urology, oral maxillofacial surgical capabilities, 24 additional ICU beds, outpatient services, and microbiology. The 430th MED DET and the 131 MED DET will have the mission: deploy to augment the Field Hospital (32 BED) with operational dental care, and provision of one additional ICU ward, one ICW ward, additional microbiology capabilities and outpatient services for all classes of patients within a theater of operations.[12]
Role and structure
The 28th Combat Support Hospital is currently attached to the 44th Medical Brigade and is based at Fort Bragg in North Carolina.[13] Equipped with DEPMEDS equipment, it is tasked with providing Level III combat health support when deployed.[2][Note 1] The DEPMEDS system consists of "canvas tents that are connected to hard-sided boxes" which, when fully established, requires an area of 25 acres (100,000m2),[14] and provides a suite of medical facilities and support equipment that allows the unit to perform a large number of functions similar to that of more permanent facilities including pharmacology, radiology and surgery. It has a 296-bed capacity,[14] although only 96 of these are able to be used for patients requiring intensive care.[2] At the same time it maintains the ability to detach sub-units to task force level operations to provide front-line medical and surgical support.[2] When the hospital is not deployed, or has not been assigned a patient care role, it is tasked with supporting the XVIII Airborne Corps, and undertaking a range of tasks as part of the Fort Bragg garrison.[2]
The hospital has an authorized strength of between 500 and 600 personnel, of whom about 30 are physicians.[2][14] However, when not deployed it consists only of a small cadre staff who undertake various administrative tasks to keep the unit operational, while the majority of its medical personnel are stationed elsewhere at permanent facilities where they can use their training on a daily basis. When the unit is warned out for deployment, however, these personnel are recalled to the unit.[5][14] For a long period of time prior to the mid-1990s, the hospital was commanded by a Medical Service Corpsofficer who was responsible for maintaining the unit administratively, however, upon assuming a patient care role, a Medical Corps officer, who is a qualified physician, took over command of the unit.[5] This policy was changed following the first Gulf War, however, and the current policy of the Army Medical Department is that all medical treatment facilities are considered to be "AMEDD Immaterial" commands, and may be commanded by officers of any of the six AMEDD Corps, and the commanders no longer swap-out when the hospital moves from a training status to an operational role.
The unit possesses its own command, management and administrative support elements and consists of the following sub-units:
Distinctive Unit Insignia, 28th Combat Support Hospital
A silver color metal and epoxied device 1 3/16 inches (3.02cm) in width overall consisting of a maroon Greek cross superimposed by a silver stylized Chinese dragon, all surmounting and above a blue scroll the ends of the scroll terminating at the upper ends of the cross and inscribed “SERVICE THROUGH MOBILITY” in silver letters[16]
Symbolism
Maroon and white are the colors used for the Army Medical Department. The cross refers to the hospital and its mission. The Chinese dragon symbolizes the organization's service in the China Defensive Campaign, World War II.[16]
Background
The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 28th Surgical Hospital on 5 March 1970. It was redesignated for the 28th Combat Support Hospital on 2 January 1973, and further redesignated for the 528th Field Hospital in April 2020[16]
Flag
Design as prescribed in accordance with Army Regulation 840–10.[16]
Notes
Footnotes
↑ Level III combat health support is defined as resuscitation, initial wound surgery and post operative treatment. Joint Doctrine for Civil-Military Operations, Annex A to Appendix C, pp. 1–2.
The XVIII Airborne Corps is a corps of the United States Army that has been in existence since 1942 and saw extensive service during World War II. The corps is designed for rapid deployment anywhere in the world and is referred to as "America's Contingency Corps." Its headquarters are at Fort Liberty, North Carolina.
Mobile Army Surgical Hospitals (MASH) were U.S. Army field hospital units conceptualized in 1946 as replacements for the obsolete World War II-era Auxiliary Surgical Group hospital units. MASH units were in operation from the Korean War to the Gulf War before being phased out in the early 2000s. Each MASH unit had 60 beds, as well as surgical, nursing, and other enlisted and officer staff available at all times. MASH units filled a vital role in military medicine by providing support to army units upwards of 10,000 to 20,000 soldiers. These units had a low mortality rate compared to others, as the transportation time to hospitals was shorter, resulting in fewer patients dying within the "Golden Hour", the first hour after an injury is first sustained, which is referred to in trauma as the "most important hour". The U.S. Army deactivated the last MASH unit on February 16, 2006, and the successors to Mobile Army Surgical Hospitals are combat support hospitals.
The United States Army Special Operations Command (Airborne) (USASOC ( YOO-sə-sok)) is the command charged with overseeing the various special operations forces of the United States Army. Headquartered at Fort Liberty, North Carolina, it is the largest component of the United States Special Operations Command. It is an Army Service Component Command. Its mission is to organize, train, educate, man, equip, fund, administer, mobilize, deploy and sustain Army special operations forces to successfully conduct worldwide special operations.
A Combat Support Hospital is a type of modern United States Army field hospital. The CSH is transportable by aircraft and trucks and is normally delivered to the Corps Support Area in standard military-owned demountable containers (MILVAN) cargo containers. Once transported, it is assembled by the staff into a tent hospital to treat patients. Depending upon the operational environment, a CSH might also treat civilians and wounded enemy soldiers. The CSH is the successor to the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH).
A field hospital is a temporary hospital or mobile medical unit that takes care of casualties on-site before they can be safely transported to more permanent facilities. This term was initially used in military medicine, but it has also been used to describe alternate care sites used in disasters and other emergency situations.
The 67th Combat Support Hospital was the only forward deployed combat support hospital in Europe with both warfighter support and community service missions. Medical readiness was the primary concern for the unit. Located in the heart of the European theater, the 67th Combat Support Hospital stood ready to provide Echelon III health care around the globe.
The 325th Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division. The regiment serves as the 82nd Airborne's light infantry parachute insertion fighting force of the United States Army, with a long and distinguished history, having taken part in World War I, World War II, the Vietnam War, the invasions of Grenada and Panama, as well as the Gulf and Iraq Wars. The subordinate units of the regiment constitute the bulk of the infantry elements assigned to the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division.
The 13th Armored Corps Sustainment Command—the "Lucky 13th"—is a U.S. Army modular sustainment command which serves as a forward presence for expeditionary operations for a theater, or in support of a regional combatant commander. Corps Sustainment Commands (CSC), such as the 13th, synchronize distribution of supplies and services within their operational areas and provides distribution oversight. Formed at Fort Cavazos, Texas when the 1st Logistics Command deployed to Vietnam, the organization then known as the 13th Support Brigade was initially responsible for the training of technical services units to assume combat service support missions in Southeast Asia.
In the United States Army, Medical Detachments, popularly known as Forward Surgical Teams (FST), are small, mobile surgical units. A functional operating room can be established within one and a half hours of being on scene and break down to move to a new location within two hours of ceasing operations.
The 528th Sustainment Brigade (Airborne), 528th Sustainment Brigade (SO) (A), or 528th SB (SO) (A) was activated on 16 December 2008, as part of the overall United States Army Special Operations Forces logistics transformation. The brigade replaced the Special Operations Support Command (Airborne) (SOSCOM) as combat service support and combat health support unit for all Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) units under the 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne).
The 1st Health Battalion is a unit of the 2nd Health Brigade. It is headquartered at the Robertson Army Barracks in Darwin. Formally having sub-units located in Darwin, Townsville and Brisbane, the then 1CHB was raised as 1 HB and fell under the command of the reestablished 2nd Health Brigade in 2022; with the existing Sub-Units being absorbed into 4th Health Battalion (Australia), and 2nd Health Battalion (Australia), respectfully. Additionally, a Close Health Unit was founded under the command of the 3rd Health Battalion (Australia), cementing the new capabilities of Joint Health.
The 528th Support Battalion is a battalion of the United States Army. The 528th Support Battalion's mission is to provide rapidly deployable CSS and HSS to ARSOF as directed. The 528th Support Battalion's strengths lie in its capability to support ARSOF-unique and low-density weapons and vehicles. The 528th complements [organic] 22 ARSOF CSS, HSS, and signal units. The support battalion consists of a headquarters and main support company (HMSC), three forward support companies and may receive augmentation from Theater Army. As part of Army Special Operations Command the unit, along with the 112th Signal Battalion, is tasked to provide full logistical support to Army Special Operations Forces forming along with several other units what was known as Special Operations Support Command, later reorganized as the 528th Sustainment Brigade (A). The Brigade Troops Battalion includes a wide variety of military occupation specialists: riggers, drivers, medics, mechanics, engineers, fuelers, cooks, etc.
The 82nd Airborne Division Sustainment Brigade is a sustainment brigade of the United States Army based at Fort Liberty, North Carolina. It provides logistical support to and is part of 82nd Airborne Division.
The 115th Field Hospital is a field hospital of the United States Army formed in 1917 and perpetuated until today. The hospital has participated in World War I, World War II, Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan). As of March 2019, the 115th Combat Support Hospital reorganized and re-designated as a field hospital and is now a component unit of the 32d Hospital Center.
The 10th Field Hospital is a Field Hospital of the United States Army first constituted on 23 June 1942 in the Army of the United States as the 10th Field Hospital.
In the United States Army, a medical brigade is a unit providing command and control for assigned or attached medical units at Corps level. One MED BDE is typically assigned to one Army Corps and a typical Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment (HHD) for a MED BDE consists of about 65 personnel.
The 274th Forward Surgical Team (Airborne)—part of the 274th Forward Resuscitative and Surgical Detachment (Airborne)—is an airborne forward surgical team of the United States Army providing Level II care far forward on the battlefield. It was first constituted in 1944 and served in Europe during World War II. More recently it has been involved in relief operations following natural disasters and has undertaken several recent deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. The 274th Forward Surgical Team was part of both the initial entry forces of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2001 and Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. Currently the unit falls under the command of the 28th Combat Support Hospital and is based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
The 14th Combat Support Hospital is a combat support hospital of the United States Army. It participated in World War II, the Korean War and, more recently, deployed to Afghanistan. The hospital was involved in relief operations following Hurricane Katrina. The unit currently falls under the command of the 44th Medical Brigade and is based at Fort Moore, GA, and relocating to Fort Stewart, GA during FY 2020.
The 525th Expeditionary Military Intelligence Brigade (Expeditionary) is a unit of the United States Army specializing in the acquisition and analysis of information with potential military value. On 28 October 2014, the unit was reflagged from the "525th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade" to an expeditionary military intelligence brigade, the first of its kind.
The 261st Medical Battalion is a Multifunctional Medical Battalion of the US Army located at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, under the command and control of the 44th Medical Brigade. It provides a flexible and modular medical battle command, administrative assistance, logistical support, and technical supervision capability for assigned and attached medical organizations, which can be task-organized to support deployed forces.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
United States 
