Operation Enduring Freedom 2011-2012

           DRAGON                          MEDICS
             352nd CSH FWD
                        DET 17
    We are the Dragon Medics of the 352nd Combat Support Hospital (CSH) from Camp Parks in Dublin, California. Detachment 17 is a smaller element of the 352 CSH, stationed at Forward Operating Base Salerno, Afghanistan. Forward Operating Base (FOB) Salerno is positioned near the town of Khowst, Afghanistan. It is very close to the border of Pakistan and is strategically located on an important trade route moving goods and people through the region. FOB Salerno is named after a beachhead that the 3rd Batallion 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment parachuted onto on September 14, 1943. It is also affectionately called "Rocket City" due to the large volume of indirect fire received at this FOB on an almost daily basis.   
Salerno Hospital provides level 2+ medical care for the theater of operations in and around the area of Khowst. As a level 2+ hospital, we provide services of a scaled down version of a typical level 3 Combat Support Hospital (CSH). Salerno Hospital has the surgical capabilities of a Forward Surgical Team with the additional assets of Laboratory/ Blood Bank, Xray and Pharmacy. When caring for US and coalition forces, treatment necessary to protect life, limb or eyesight is provided and then the soldiers are evacuated to the next higher echelon of care. We have the ability to provide definitive care on a limited basis and is frequently provided for Afghan Sequrity forces or Local Nationals. The hospital in Khowst is still growing and establishing their baseline skillset. As a result, Salerno Hospital frequently accepts patients transferred out of Khowst for additional care.
 
                    WITCHDOCTORS 
                              928th ASMC

     We also have the 928th ASMC "Witchdoctors" colocated with us at the hospital and we work very closely together. They run sick call for the FOB, treating approximately ### patients per month, When we get our trauma patients "Dragon Calls", the 928th is right there in the EMT staffing the trauma beds with us. We couldn't provide the lifesaving care without their experience and dedication.

                   COWBOY DUSTOFF
                             C Co 5/159 AVN
           
The providers of our medivac transport is Charlie Company 5/159 AVN "Cowboy Dustoff" from Wyoming. They are the ones that get our injured soldiers from the point of injury to the hospital. Without their quick reaction many patient outcomes would be much worse. Depending on the geographic location where the injury occurs, the Dustoff Cowboys get our soldiers here in a matter of minutes. Frequently, the time between injury and initial treatment is so short, the flight medic has little time to complete their patient assessmet.

May 2011