From the State Surgeon

Taking up the duties of the State Surgeon gives me the opportunity to redouble my efforts to care for the health needs of all the soldiers in the California Guard. It also presents the real challenge of trying to fill the very capable shoes of our outgoing State Surgeon, Col. Albertson, whom we wish the very best as he launches his new career as the advisor to the folks at the Pentagon. I wanted to take the opportunity of my first address to the members of the Medical Detachment to share an observation I made many times during my own deployment to Iraq last summer. It specifically has to do with the real and constant need of all soldiers, regardless of MOS or actual job description, to be very well versed in all the primary skills of a soldier. It didn't matter if you were a mechanic, medic, cook, clerk or driver -- every one was in the same danger most of the time, and could be tasked instantly with responding to a real and present danger. So it behooves all of us, regardless of age, gender or job description, to be physically fit, and to know how to fight. The latter may involve physical contact only rarely, but it certainly means knowing how to do a tactical convoy, care for and fire various weapon systems, navigate -- in short, all of the things in the basic soldiers' manuals. The challenge of the near future for the non-Combat Arms types (such as we in medical support) is how to get access to more basic skills training, and how to inculcate in all soldiers that fact that we are all warriors. I will do what I can from my new position to help every soldier achieve his or her very best.

VITO IMBASCIANI

The Deputy State Surgeon for the California Army National Guard is 2LT Ruth Wilke (formerly Ruth Richards).