Comments on: Two Experts: Give the Coast Guard Hospital Ships http://conflicthealth.com/two-experts-give-the-coast-guard-hospital-ships/ Defending Health Against Persecution, Violence, And Armed Conflict Sun, 25 Dec 2011 18:03:06 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: leesea http://conflicthealth.com/two-experts-give-the-coast-guard-hospital-ships/comment-page-1/#comment-330 leesea Wed, 22 Oct 2008 18:06:18 +0000 http://warandhealth.com/two-experts-give-the-coast-guard-hospital-ships/#comment-330 As someone who helped introduce the Hosptial Ships to MSC, I think I can say conclusively that the USCG is completely under manned and not set up to operate them. What the authors fail to appreciate is that the crew alone on these ships ranges from 25 in ROS to 125 CIVMARs in FOS. The Medical Treatment Facility aka hospital, ranges from 40 to 1200. The MSC provides all the ships' crew while large MTF/hospitals and the naval reseves provide all the needed medical and support personnel. The USCG & PHS are simply NOT sized or structured for T-AH operations. In addition, while there is serious discusion about building more or replacement ships, most who have actually managed them realize several smaller ships with additional functions/capabilities is what is needed. For instance, the Mercy had to add two utility boats since they were needed to transport crew, staff and patients to/from shore. The flght deck had to be improved to support helos for longer periods. There are no cargo holds to support the Seabees which are not seen as essential elements in a T-AH mission. I have a concept paper which addresses these problems, just email me. P.S. its not just the white hull which is required by international treaty, it is also the removal/absence of military systems which a hosptial ship must conform to. Using warships as baseline models is not the right paath to follow. I serioulsly doubt a T-AKE naval auxiliary could be modified cost effectively to be a T-AH? As someone who helped introduce the Hosptial Ships to MSC, I think I can say conclusively that the USCG is completely under manned and not set up to operate them. What the authors fail to appreciate is that the crew alone on these ships ranges from 25 in ROS to 125 CIVMARs in FOS. The Medical Treatment Facility aka hospital, ranges from 40 to 1200. The MSC provides all the ships’ crew while large MTF/hospitals and the naval reseves provide all the needed medical and support personnel. The USCG & PHS are simply NOT sized or structured for T-AH operations.

In addition, while there is serious discusion about building more or replacement ships, most who have actually managed them realize several smaller ships with additional functions/capabilities is what is needed. For instance, the Mercy had to add two utility boats since they were needed to transport crew, staff and patients to/from shore. The flght deck had to be improved to support helos for longer periods. There are no cargo holds to support the Seabees which are not seen as essential elements in a T-AH mission. I have a concept paper which addresses these problems, just email me.

P.S. its not just the white hull which is required by international treaty, it is also the removal/absence of military systems which a hosptial ship must conform to. Using warships as baseline models is not the right paath to follow. I serioulsly doubt a T-AKE naval auxiliary could be modified cost effectively to be a T-AH?

]]> By: Borg http://conflicthealth.com/two-experts-give-the-coast-guard-hospital-ships/comment-page-1/#comment-331 Borg Tue, 21 Oct 2008 18:31:34 +0000 http://warandhealth.com/two-experts-give-the-coast-guard-hospital-ships/#comment-331 Agree with TEJ. There is much more involved then just the vehicle to deliver aid. The logistics is huge. Why not consider PHS in combination with Naval Sealift Command or some pseudo entity. The Coast Guard has always taken pride in its Search and Rescue role, but commanding a Hospital Ship for humanitarian aid is going a whole other direction. I have no doubt that the Coast Guard would step up to provide assistance in the endevor, but to dump this "elephant" in thier lap is unreasonable, and unrealistic. Agree with TEJ. There is much more involved then just the vehicle to deliver aid. The logistics is huge. Why not consider PHS in combination with Naval Sealift Command or some pseudo entity. The Coast Guard has always taken pride in its Search and Rescue role, but commanding a Hospital Ship for humanitarian aid is going a whole other direction. I have no doubt that the Coast Guard would step up to provide assistance in the endevor, but to dump this “elephant” in thier lap is unreasonable, and unrealistic.

]]> By: TEJ http://conflicthealth.com/two-experts-give-the-coast-guard-hospital-ships/comment-page-1/#comment-329 TEJ Mon, 20 Oct 2008 16:04:05 +0000 http://warandhealth.com/two-experts-give-the-coast-guard-hospital-ships/#comment-329 CG only has a dozen or so physician assistants. The 50 or so medical officers, 50 or so dental officers, and dozen or so pharmacists are all detailed from the US Public Health Service. All the CG nurses are civilians. The USCGR has no medical, dental, pharmacy, or nurse officers. Even the CG Auxilliary has let die on the vine its limited medical officer program. The US Navy, with its huge medical, nurse, medical service, etc. corps has difficulty apring enough practitioners to field these missions. I don't see how the CG could do it. You can't inflate their (borrowed) medical, dental, nurse, medical service corps by 200% just to be able to surge them out every other summer. Besides, the creation of DHS has stretched the CG thin with LE missions, they are not in the market for an additional non-core mission. CG only has a dozen or so physician assistants. The 50 or so medical officers, 50 or so dental officers, and dozen or so pharmacists are all detailed from the US Public Health Service. All the CG nurses are civilians. The USCGR has no medical, dental, pharmacy, or nurse officers. Even the CG Auxilliary has let die on the vine its limited medical officer program. The US Navy, with its huge medical, nurse, medical service, etc. corps has difficulty apring enough practitioners to field these missions. I don’t see how the CG could do it. You can’t inflate their (borrowed) medical, dental, nurse, medical service corps by 200% just to be able to surge them out every other summer. Besides, the creation of DHS has stretched the CG thin with LE missions, they are not in the market for an additional non-core mission.

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