FORT CAVAZOS, Texas –
Army Reserve Soldiers from the 394th Field Hospital (FH) participated in a unit validation at Fort Cavazos, Texas, on Sept. 26, 2023.
The controlled training exercise, led by Observer, Coach, Trainers (OC/T) assigned to 4th Battalion (Medical), 393rd Infantry Regiment, assists unit commanders in determining their unit’s readiness status, explains Army Command Sgt. Maj. Rocio Picazarri, senior enlisted advisor for 4th MED.
“On average our OC/T team validates approximately 20 medical units a year across 10 different medical unit types,” said Picazarri, an Odessa, Texas, native. “Our OC/Ts take their jobs very seriously and work with units to improve processes and procedures while sustaining the skills that they’re already doing well.”
The 4th MED is the primary unit responsible for assisting medical units through the validation, explains Lt. Col. Melissa Folsom, commander of 4th MED.
Captain Reslen Dorman, an OC/T assigned to 4th MED, spoke about the value that OC/Ts bring to the training format.
“Observer, Coach, Trainers are important because they not only make sure that all of the preparations are in place, but that all standards are met,” said Dorman, a Salt Lake City native. “So that when they get in theater, they are able to provide the best care for the patients that they encounter.”
For the 394th FH, validation is one part of preparing for their upcoming mobilization, said Capt. Christa Teixeira, a medical surgical nurse assigned to the 394th FH.
“This controlled training exercise is really invaluable to our mission preparation,” said Teixeira, a Millstone, New Jersey native. “We don’t work together on a day-to-day basis, so this really helps us cement together all of our policies and procedures, so that when we get down there, we are able to be a cohesive team and effectively complete our mission.”
Sergeant Angelica Wolf, a practical nurse specialist assigned to the 394th FH, expanded upon the unit’s mission while stationed in Honduras.
“The 394th’s mission while we are in Honduras is to provide medical care to our civilian and military counterparts as well as to the local community of the host nation,” said Wolf. “But before we get there, we need to understand what we need, what is missing, and what is going to be specific for the region that we will be practicing in.”
The 394th FH’s mission supports the Army’s strategic objective of providing humanitarian aid to our allies overseas.