Fort Stewart opens new clinic for sick reservists

[MORTARDUDE]

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/g...?storyid=10146

Fort Stewart opens new clinic for sick reservists




FT. STEWART, GA (AP) -- The Army opened a new medical clinic Friday to handle treatment of sick and injured reservists, who have complained of long waits for health care.

The Fort Stewart clinic will treat several hundred National Guard and Army Reserve troops who are on "medical hold," meaning they're too sick to perform regular duties but don't require hospitalization.

Reservists mobilized at Fort Stewart have complained bitterly of waiting weeks, sometimes months, for medical treatment while living in spartan barracks often without air-conditioning or indoor toilets.

Colonel Joe Barthel, commander of Winn Army Community Hospital on Fort Stewart, said the new clinic staffed with 15 case managers "allows soldiers to be seen within 72 hours by a specialist."

Fort Stewart officials said 150 of the citizen soldiers will be moving to better housing at nearby Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah. They said 80 reservists will move into barracks with active duty troops, while 70 will live in housing similar to a hotel.

Earlier this week, the Army announced 50 of the 633 reservists on medical hold were transferring to Fort Gordon in Augusta, home of the Army's Southeast Regional Medical Command.