The Gateway

Training is vital to the Army and helps maintain unit readiness and deployability. Every Army unit owes it to itself to sustain their knowledge of MC4 with appropriate training, too.

The Army's core process of building trained and ready forces is maintained through the three phases of the Army Force Generation or ARFORGEN cycle: Reset, Train/Ready and Available.

At some point late in the Reset phase or early in the Train/Ready phase, a unit should receive MC4 new equipment training (NET) or refresher training. NET supports the initial transfer of knowledge on the operation and maintenance of the MC4 system.

NET and refresher training are not substitutes for a robust unit-sponsored sustainment training program that ensures continued proficiency on the MC4 systems. Just like any skill, MC4 proficiency must be learned and then practiced, practiced and practiced some more.

MC4 maintains a comprehensive repository of knowledge and training products to help unit personnel establish an MC4 sustainment training program. These training products are available via the following:

• Access training materials on an MC4 laptop.
• Visit the MC4 website, The Gateway, and click Training from the menu bar or get app-specific training tools in the App section of the website.
• Visit the MC4 Training Library on AKO.
• Access MC4 training materials via the Army Training Network (ATN2GO) app.

For additional assistance in developing an MC4 sustainment training program, contact your local MC4 region support office.

Let me ask you this: how much fun did you have during your last battle simulation exercise and did it have any training value? My guess is, not much. You set up your tactical operations center, started running 24-hour operations (OPS), and waited for the occasional medical Master Scenario Events List to be inserted and you processed it manually, probably using a combination of email and spreadsheets.

Have you heard of the Joint Medical Work Station (JMeWS) of the Medical Situational Awareness in the Theater (MSAT) portal? MSAT (formally JMeWS) is the closest automated solution the medical community has to a mission command system. It is a web-enabled application which resides on the SIPR network. In theory, if you have a SIPR internet connection then you have access to MSAT and to the data being produced by the medical encounters inputted in to AHLTA-T, updates to the medical situational report (MEDSITREP), and Annex Q. All this data can provide a medical command and control unit situational awareness of the battle space.

Okay, so what? Well, MC4 has developed a simulation tool called the Simulation Medical Data Server (SMDS) that can stimulate the MSAT application, which means the OPS and clinical operations (CLINOPS) sections within your unit can view real-time casualties during the simulation exercise; however, it was not connected with actual battle simulation. This is a stand-alone application (typical for the Army Medical Department), which was tested during the 44^th Medical Brigade's (MED BDE) combined training exercise, as they prepared for their Afghanistan mission.

After the successful test with the 44^th MED BDE, MC4 decided SMDS needed to be integrated into the Joint Land Component Constructive Training Capability (JLCCTC) simulation federation. This integration will allow the senior medical staff officer and medical command and control units to participate in a large joint simulation exercise using their “go-to-war” system in an automated manner like their logistics counterparts and BCS3.

To make the integration a reality, MC4 partnered with the Logistic Exercise Simulation Directorate, the material developer for the Joint Deployment Logistics Module (JDLM). Why JDLM? JDLM is the JLCCTC's logistics solution for all joint and Army simulation exercises. It is the casualty generator that produces over 300 different injuries and diseases. The fidelity of the data is patient name, Social Security number, rank, gender, assigned unit, class VIII consumed and more.

There were some functional issues, like connectivity (when is that not an issue), medical unit relationships and non-realistic patient play, to name a few. While this tool is in the crawl stage of development, the good news is that the interface between JDLM and SMDS worked as designed and passed the data to the MSAT server.

SMDS was successfully integrated into JDLM and was first used during Ulchi Freedom Guardian (UFG) 2011. The initial bugs were resolved and the medical training audience during UFG 2011 was able to see patients flow from role 1 units to role 3 units, and determine if a Chemical, Biological, Radiological; Nuclear Enhanced Conventional Weapon event had taken place.

We are ready to walk.

Since 2008, deployed commanders have asked for theater-wide visibility and data mining capability of the prescriptions prescribed by providers. Commanders had visibility of the medications prescribed to an individual, but they couldn't easily generate reports on specific medications and the quantities prescribed throughout theater to identify patient risk and combat pharmacy abuse.

In March, I deployed to Afghanistan for a site-assisted visit with the 44th Medical Command. While in theater, I worked with members of MC4's technical support team to uncover a method for theater-wide surveillance of prescriptions using the Business Objects reporting tool within Medical Situational Awareness in the Theater (MSAT).

With dedicated manpower and access to the SIPRNet, we uncovered the solution within three hours. Within the first hour, we indentified all of the required data elements and successfully generated the first report. We spent the remaining time creating processes and troubleshooting our findings.

Commanders can now generate theater-wide reports for medications by following the steps in the tip titled Query Prescribed Medications in MSAT. For a more in-depth tutorial with screen shots, check out Creating Ad Hoc Reports Using MSAT Business Objects.

In May, MC4 participated in the 2011 Combat Support Hospital (CSH) Commanders and Associated Medical Units Conference in Reno, Nevada. Hosted annually by the Forces Command (FORSCOM) G-4 in conjunction with U.S. Army Reserve Command, the event provides a great forum to discuss hot button topics with CSH leadership. I thought I’d share some of the highlights.

First, MC4's MEDLOG shop set up a display featuring DCAM on the MC4 system. The exhibit gave deploying units a glimpse of the automated medical supply system used downrange. Then we briefed attendees on the high-level MC4 initiatives and support structure in place for deploying units. Overall, the revised MC4 training strategy of garrison use, exercise support, and warrior-focused training was well-received, as was the news that MC4 training is now formally available at CRC. We’ll provide more details on the efforts at CRC soon.

Another key topic discussed was whether or not we should issue MC4 training sets to Army Reserve CSHs. The feedback was mixed. CSHs preparing for deployment expressed an interest, while others remained hesitant because of constrained training schedules. In May 2010, an MC4 equipping policy released by Army MEDCOM enabled MC4 to begin providing active duty CSHs with training sets. The same option is available for Reserve CSHs if their schedules permit. Commanders are encouraged to request equipment and schedule training through our MC4 region support offices.

Thanks to FORSCOM G-4 for extending us an invitation to participate in the conference. We’re looking forward to presenting again next year!