14th Combat Support Hospital

The 14th Combat Support Hospital (14th CSH) is a combat support hospital of the United States Army. It was first activated at Camp Bowie, Texas in 1942 and served in the Aleutian Islands, Rhineland, and Central Europe during World War II. The "First to Care" team also served with distinction during the Korean War, and more recently deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom. Additionally, it has been involved in relief operations following natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina (photos). The unit currently falls under the command of the 44th Medical Brigade and is based at Fort Benning, Georgia.

Command Group

 * Commander: Colonel Paula C. Lodi
 * Command Sergeant Major: CSM Diamond D. Hough

Mission
Organize, train, and deploy tailored forces to provide health service support to joint and/or coalition forces engaged in decisive action and contingency operations. Be prepared to assume Medical Task Force mission command and conduct split based operations as required.

History
The 14th Combat Support Hospital was originally constituted on 23 June 1942 in the United States Army as the 14th Field Hospital. It was activated on 25 July 1942 at Camp Bowie, Texas and inactivated on 25 March 1946 in Germany. It was again activated on 13 November 1950 in Korea and was allocated to the Army on 31 October 1951. It inactivated on 1 February 1954 in Korea and was activated in December of that year in Germany. It inactivated in Germany on 15 April 1968 and was not activated again until 6 October 1996 at Fort Benning, Georgia. On 21 June 2004 the 14th Field Hospital was re-designated as the 14th Combat Support Hospital in Fort Benning, Georgia. The 14th Combat Support Hospital was realigned from 44th Medical Brigade to the 1st Medical Brigade on 27 January 2011, and then realigned back to 44th Medical Brigade on 16 May 2012.

Campaign Participation
The 14th Combat Support Hospital participated in WWII in the Aleutian Islands, Rhineland, and Central Europe. It also served with pride in the Korean War. In September 2005, the 14th Combat Support Hospital deployed to New Orleans, Louisiana in support of Hurricane Katrina relief efforts (photos). In January 2006, it deployed to Afghanistan in support of Combined Joint Task Force-76 and the International Security Assistance Force- Afghanistan (ISAF) during Operation Enduring Freedom VII. In July 2009, the 14th Combat Support Hospital deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom working under Joint Task Force134 performing the Detainee Healthcare Mission. The unit returned from yet another 9-month deployment to Afghanistan in 2013 (photos).

Current Operations
The unit continues its proud heritage of long and dedicated service the Nation, honoring its motto: "First to Care! Anytime, Anywhere". A progressive organization, the 14th Combat Support Hospital constantly evolves to keep pace with the changing missions and technological advances.

In March 2014, the 14th CSH deployed a mobile operating room to Fort Stewart to alleviate the backlog of surgical cases at Winn Army Community Hospital. Due to ongoing construction at Winn ACH Hospital Commander, Col. Kirk W. Eggleston, worked with 14th CSH Commander, Col. Paula Lodi, to bring a mobile operating room to Fort Stewart to mitigate the impact of decreased OR space.

in June 2014, the 14th CSH will assume a Severe Weather Response Force (SWRF) mission.

Decorations
Unit decorations include: four Meritorious Unit Commendations (Embroidered) and two Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citations (Embroidered).

Subordinate Units

 * Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment (HHD)
 * Provides Command and Control, personnel, administrative, logistical and maintenance support to CSH units and direct reporting units (DRUs). On order, provides command and control, and administrative support to the 14th CSH and DRUs deployed in support of worldwide contingency and full spectrum operations.


 * A Company
 * B Company
 * Deploys to a joint/combined operational area and provides flexible, responsive, and effective Level III Health Service Support and Force Health Protection to supported forces conducting full spectrum operations and/or contingency operations. On order, redeploys.


 * 19th Optometry
 * Provides comprehensive optometry care and optical fabrication support to joint and/or coalition forces engaged in decisive and contingency operations. Be prepared to conduct split-based operations in order to provide optometry capabilities on an area support basis.


 * 463rd Veterinary Services
 * Provides veterinary services and medical support in the areas of approving commercial food sources, food safety/security/sanitation, government owned animal health care, preventive medicine directed towards endemic Zoonotic diseases, food service sanitation, and foreign animal disease surveillance/mitigation, and humanitarian civic action programs in support of all branches of the services throughout the area of operations.


 * 690th Ground Ambulance
 * Deploys and provides ground medical evacuation capabilities in support of joint and/or coalition forces engaged in decisive action and global contingency operations. Be prepared to make ground medical evacuation capabilities available for operations in direct support of defense support to civil authorities (DSCA).


 * 926th Preventive Medicine
 * Provides complete theater of operations preventive medicine support to minimize the medical and environmental threats to supported forces and civilians in evolving operations ranging from major regional conflicts to humanitarian and disaster relief. Provides preventive medicine and technical consultation in Unified Land Operations