JBSA-FORT SAM HOUSTON –
To better support the Army Force Generation cycle and assist the active and Reserve components in improving medical readiness, Lt. Gen. Patricia D. Horoho, commanding general of Army Medical Command, directed the realignment of the regional medical readiness divisions within each of the Army's five regional medical commands.
The medical readiness division realignment will be a two-phased operation, with a completion date of Oct. 1, 2015.
The mission of the medical readiness branches will be to coordinate, synchronize and standardize health service support for the Army Force Generation, or ARFORGEN, process and provide staff assistance for deployable and/or mobilized active and Reserve components, or AC/RC, units/personnel within their region.
They will also monitor the health readiness status of deploying and mobilizing AC/RC units/personnel within the regional medical command, or RMC, area of responsibility.
In addition, readiness branches will coordinate all medical readiness functions, to include medical readiness metrics, Soldier readiness processing, standardization for medical mobilization and demobilization, deployment health assessments, medical protection system and eProfile.
"Medical readiness means that service members are free from health-related conditions, including dental conditions, which could limit their ability to carry out their duties and result in non-deployment," said Col. Roman Bilynsky, Army Medical Command's G-37 chief of the medical readiness division.
"Medically ready Soldiers require less medical and dental support in theater, which translates into fewer medical evacuations from theater, which conserves available strength by minimizing unnecessary intra-theater travel and maximizing medical support for combat operations," Bilynsky added.
The two-phased realignment began in June 2012, and involved the realignment and renaming of the divisions as Regional Medical Command G-37, Medical Readiness Branch.
The second phase will consist of the execution of the Regional Medical Command G-37, Medical Readiness Branch co-location and hiring plans.
When the dust settles, Western Regional Medical Command and Southern Regional Medical Command G-3 medical readiness branches will co-locate with their respective RMC headquarters while the Northern Regional Medical Command G-37 medical readiness branch will remain with the Northern Regional Medical Command headquarters at Fort Belvoir, Va.
"Ensuring the medical readiness of our forces has always been a challenge, especially among the Reserve/Guard components," Bilynsky said.
"However, with the realignment of our medical readiness advisors with Regional Medical Command staff, we will be better able to coordinate and influence mobilization and pre-deployment medical readiness to ensure all of our forces, regardless of component, are optimally prepared to perform their warfighting mission."