NEW UNIFORMS,
SAME SUCCESS
By the end of June 2021, medical personnel from Cal Guard's Joint Task Force 115 will don Army-influenced hospital garments for work
U.S. Army Lt. Col. Robin Hoeflein, commander of the 115th Regional Support Group, California National Guard, displays an operational camouflage pattern hospital scrub that will soon be available to Cal Guard medical personnel who have been on the front lines of the coronavirus battle since last year. Cal Guard medics are often mistaken for civilian personnel while using standard hospital garments, and general military-issued long sleeve uniforms aren’t proper when testing and applying COVID-19 vaccinations. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Eddie Siguenza)
U.S. Army Lt. Col. Robin Hoeflein, commander of the 115th Regional Support Group, California National Guard, displays an operational camouflage pattern hospital scrub that will soon be available to Cal Guard medical personnel who have been on the front lines of the coronavirus battle since last year. Cal Guard medics are often mistaken for civilian personnel while using standard hospital garments, and general military-issued long sleeve uniforms aren’t proper when testing and applying COVID-19 vaccinations. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Eddie Siguenza)
U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Homer Lee, supply sergeant with the 163rd Medical Group, Joint Task Force 115, California Air National Guard, describes an Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP) hospital scrub to Lt. Col. Robin Hoeflein, commander, 115th Regional Support Group, clarifying that more will be provided to Cal Guard’s hundreds of medical personnel who have been on the coronavirus front lines for more than a year. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Eddie Siguenza)
U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Homer Lee, supply sergeant with the 163rd Medical Group, Joint Task Force 115, California Air National Guard, describes an Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP) hospital scrub to Lt. Col. Robin Hoeflein, commander, 115th Regional Support Group, clarifying that more will be provided to Cal Guard’s hundreds of medical personnel who have been on the coronavirus front lines for more than a year. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Eddie Siguenza)
by Staff Sgt. Eddie Siguenza
California National Guard Public Affairs
SACRAMENTO, Calif — Medics, physicians and administrators with the California National Guard’s Joint Task Force 115 will soon be equipped with operational camouflage pattern hospital scrubs that will enhance their critical abilities during this COVID-19 era and distinguish them from their civilian counterparts.
It’s an opportunity to acknowledge and validate all the hard work that our medical personnel have done since the beginning of the COVID situation last year,” said U.S. Army Maj. Dalia Sanchez, a logistics officer with the 115th Regional Support Group.
For over a year, Cal Guard medics with Joint Task Force 115 have been testing and vaccinating Californians while wearing typical hospital gear that often gets them mistaken for civilians, said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Maria M. Ignacio the inoculation commander of the task force. But the most critical concern is exposure to coronavirus, or other diseases.
“Service members should be wearing only scrubs during work hours at a facility to prevent cross contamination,” Ignacio explained. “Scrubs help limit the spread of not only COVID-19, but other infectious diseases such as pneumonia, influenza, pertussis, etc. Also, by wearing scrubs, you can easily identify bodily fluids such as blood.”
Ignacio added that troops have worked more than 45,000 hours since the mission began, with many service members working missions that put them at risk for potential infections.
“It’s also imperative for service members to maintain cleanliness in such situations,” she added. “Garments being worn should not be worn back to back without being thoroughly washed.”
Each medical staffer will be issued three sets of OCP scrubs, Sanchez explained. It’ll be part of their regular OCIE, which has never been done in Cal Guard, she added.
“It really should be part of their OCIE,” Sanchez added. “I mean, they’re medical professionals. They deserve to have a uniform that reflects their actual skills.”
“It really should be part of their OCIE,” Sanchez added. “I mean, they’re medical professionals. They deserve to have a uniform that reflects their actual skills.”
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