The "Desert Medics" of the 3rd Medical Command (Deployment Support) set up an expeditionary command post at the Joint Training Center in Jordan with the assistance of Soldiers from the 1st Theater Sustainment Command's operational command post.

This is part of an exercise 3rd MCDS has termed Operation Eagle’s Landing to enhance the unit’s expeditionary mission command capability with its medical equipment, services, and command and control within the U.S. Central Command area of operation.

“This is a proof of concept for 3rd Med to conduct split-based operations and rapid redeployment of a headquarters element,” said Maj. Keith Horn, deputy chief of operations for 3rd MCDS. “We took a slice of our sections, pushed them forward, and established a tactical operations center, while exercising battle drills, so we can better find holes and places for improvement.”

The operation gave 3rd MCDS Soldiers the ability to see themselves as an organization and work through issues encountered as a team, increasing their operational readiness.

“This mission has been really successful,” said 3rd MCDS Command Sgt. Major Donald Marr. “We have been able to prove we are able to displace a portion of our headquarters, encounter initial communication issues, work through them, and continue with the mission."

In addition to working with 1st TSC, the Desert Medics collaborated with several other mission partners, including Area Support Group-Jordan, the Texas National Guard's 136th Expeditionary Signal Battalion and Task Force Spartan. TF Spartan is the military organization executing Operation Spartan Shield, which maintains a U.S. military posture in Southwest Asia, sufficient to strengthen our defense relationships and build partner capacity.

“Once the planning began, it became a much more robust exercise. The initial talks were for something small,” Horn said. “But because it’s a more robust exercise, we were able to properly coordinate with our partners in order to complete this expeditionary mission.”

Soldiers with the 1st TSC-OCP and the 136th ESC's Charlie Company played an important role in ensuring the ECP had the proper communications capabilities.

"We are basically building up the network infrastructure from the ground up, allowing all of the computers and phones to talk to each other," said Spc. Rodney Watson, information technology specialist for the 1st TSC-OCP. “We are also focusing our efforts on ensuring communications reach outside the local area network, especially with the command back in Kuwait.”

The network communication or G6 section for the 1TSC-OCP would not be able to connect the network without the assistance of the Soldiers from Charlie Company.

“We are the tactical signal support and provide the networking and satellite transmission, so the G6 from the 1st TSC can push out their services over our network,” said Staff Sgt. Larissa Gehring, Charlie Company's team noncommissioned officer in charge. "This is the best training that our Soldiers can get. We conduct monthly validations and signal maintenance, but until there is an end-user, you don't really get the same experience."

The Desert Medics also set up both a dental and optometry clinic at the JTC.

“As long as we have been planning this exercise, we have been trying to get rotational optometry and dental teams," Horn said. "We were able to tie them into our movement and get them on ground easier in Jordan.”

The clinics are providing a valuable service to ensure the health of the Soldiers on the base. They will be open for approximately three weeks before the 3rd MCDS Soldiers return to Camp Arifjan, Kuwait.