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File: 110196_aacbg_09.txtcite was made available. After action reporting suggested that operational fund cites similar to those used for REFORGER become a standard planning requirement for future deployments. VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS The recruitment and placement of volunteers during DS/PF was a complete success story. Medical volunteers were essential contributors at USAFE contingency hospitals, aeromedical staging facilities. and expanded peacetime hospitals. Volunteers provided wide variety of services, to include complex medical duties within areas of professional expertise. HQ USAFE/SG appointed the Command Nurse as the medical liaison for volunteer recruitment under Red Cross sponsorship. Standards, training plans, and recruitment strategies were developed to support this initiative. -Standards considered the legal aspects of patient care delivery, including professional licensure and cardiopulmonary resuscitation training. Volunteer training plans were critical since the general population (and many medics) were inexperienced in contingency hospital and aeromedical staging facility operations. Medical and nonmedical activity descriptions were also developed and distributed to Red Cross Chapter offices and medical facilities. This was an important step for Red Cross Chapter directors since many were recruiting medical volunteers for the first time. In some instances, the chapter director was deployed to the desert, leaving a hastily recruited volunteer filling the chair. These individuals welcomed the assistance USAFE Public Affairs efforts spurred public voluntary interest and publicized contact points. American Forces Radio and Television Service interviewed the Command Nurse and showed the working elements of one ASF being set up. Radio spots continually plugged the recruitment effort. This outstanding support produced an overwhelming response, To identify and quantify volunteers by type, a medical skills bank was established for registration by area of medical expertise. Skills were classified according to professional categories such as physician, nurse, technician, and other medical specialty. This was very successful since many otherwise employed persons could help upon receipt of battle casualties. Other full-time volunteers routinely augmented USAFE clinic and hospital medical staffs which had been reduced because of other medical taskings. Across USAFE, nearly 550 persons signed up as medical volunteers with the Red Cross during DS/PF. Military family member and non-deployed active duty response was overwhelming. In many instances. the military member worked a shift in the regular job and then performed volunteer medical duties for 3-4 hours. 9
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