What does Louisiana have left as far as National Guard Medical Units, a quick cursory search shows that they used to have a MASH unit, but it was de-mobilized, and now it looks like it is down to a single Medical Company (Ambulances basically?)

In a world after 9/11 and Katrina I would have imagined exercises would have indicated a lack of medical capacity for the state.

I'm assuming they just wanted the guard to have combat capacity to augment in Iraq and Afghanistan and moved all medical units to reserves.

Wondering if anyone has any insight on this.

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Posted by SEClint

New Orleans, LA/Portland, OR

Member since Nov 2006

49487 posts

Posted on 3/24/20 at 11:26 am to OleWar

Everyone in louisiana already knows how to do everything, they all know better than anyone else and are invincible. Just ask.

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Posted by LSUFanHouston

NOLA

Member since Jul 2009

41698 posts

Posted on 3/24/20 at 11:38 am to OleWar

Since the National Guard in recent years has become little more than rotational depth for our overseas war making, that would not surprise me.

But here's the thing. Any nat guard (or reserve) medical units, just like the FEMA D-MAT units, all those people are actual docs and nurses in their day jobs. Calling them to service just moves them from one needed area to another.

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Posted by LSUA 75

Colfax,La.

Member since Jan 2019

5131 posts

Posted on 3/24/20 at 11:51 am to OleWar

I don’t know what they do now but when I was in National Guard medical company most of the personnel were medical people in civilian life,I think it’s the same way on the Navy hospital ships.Seems to me that’s going to be a problem,pulling nurses,paramedics,lab techs ,etc from civilian jobs that are under stress.

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Posted by OleWar

Troy H. Middleton Library

Member since Mar 2008

5828 posts

Posted on 3/24/20 at 12:40 pm to LSUA 75

Thanks for your response and the one above.

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Posted by Barrister

Member since Jul 2012

5352 posts

Posted on 3/24/20 at 1:03 pm to OleWar

We used to have a forward medical unit that was out of Ryan Airport. It was an ASMB if I remember correctly...orginally 2222d then reorganized as Co. A 111th. It was a medical unit staffed with Combat Medics and their mission was essentially the first line of medical interaction between the front line and the MASH unit.

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Posted by LSUBanker

Gonzales, La

Member since Sep 2003

2709 posts

Posted on 3/24/20 at 1:09 pm to OleWar

quote:
Wondering if anyone has any insight on this.

My son is down in NOLA right now with the LA Air National Guard medic unit and he's swabbing 1st responders and medical professionals...not the general public. They start at 4:30am and they'll test until they run off of kits usually by noon. Then they hang out at the convention center. This was 2 days ago.

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Posted by PhantomMenace

Member since Oct 2017

1946 posts

Posted on 3/24/20 at 1:28 pm to OleWar

quote:
Wondering if anyone has any insight on this.

There was a meeting Monday in BR including all relevant entities and high-ranking military medical officers to finalize plans to convert hotels in NOLA into M*A*S*H* type viral hospitals. Hotel occupancy is presently very low of course, and hotel rooms were requisitioned for use after Katrina.

With regard to calling up doctors and nurses, they are not calling up those working in ERs and Intensive Care, but those for instance working for dermatologists, eye doctors, oral surgeons, etc. in office and out-patient surgical centers.

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