Gulfport Aids in Mobilization of Reserve Fleet Hospital
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS041221-08
Release Date: 12/21/2004 2:32:00 PM
By Ensign Lee Witter, Navy Branch Health Clinic Gulfport
GULFPORT, Miss. (NNS) -- Navy Branch Health Clinic Gulfport, Miss. is in the process of mobilizing 400 personnel from across 48 states for Reserve Fleet Hospital (FH) Dallas to replace FH Portsmouth, Va., as the Navy's expeditionary medical facility on the ground in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The clinic began the mobilization process of FH Dallas in late November and expects completion by Dec. 27. This is the first Navy reserve fleet hospital since Operation Desert Storm in 1991 to receive operational orders into a combat area.
The reserve fleet hospital, under the command of Capt. Jack E. Riggs, will be relieving the Portsmouth unit currently located in Kuwait in January.
Mobilizing reservists is not new to the Gulfport clinic. It is a primary reserve mobilization processing site, one of 15 such sites nationally, and the second largest by volume of mobilized reservists.
"[The clinic] continues to strive to improve the medical operational readiness in its support of reserve operations around the fleet," said Gulfport's Officer in Charge, Cmdr. Gary L. Baker, "[exemplifying] boots on the deck and that of a medical multiplier."
The clinic has played a key role in mobilizing and de-mobilizing more than 2,500 reserve Sailors since 2002. The medical processing evaluations are extensive and include immunizations, physicals, dental screening and administrative medical review. All deficiencies must be addressed prior to a deployment or release from active duty.
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