Heading for Bagram...anybody with experience to give advice?

allnurses Guide · Oct 9, 2009

Hello all,
I'm in the ANG and am soon to be headed to Bagram to work in the ICU... I was wondering if anyone out there can give me advice on essential items to bring, what the shifts in the hospital are like, what is the base like in general, and what the living conditions are like. I would appreciate any bit of useful advice as I have never deployed before and would like to arrive as prepared as possible.
Thanks

Can't help you with personal experience, but if you goto this website on the right hand side it will give you a necomers guide to Bagram AB with all the information you should need. http://www.bagram.afcent.af.mil/index.asp

huntergirl · Oct 10, 2009

I can give you a little bit of info on Bagram but it has been a while since I was there (2007). I was also only there for a few weeks getting all our gear ready to ship home, I loved the FOBs and that is where I spend most all of my time with kandahar being my go to point for supplies and a little R&R

Anyway, the hospital has their own compound within Bagram where all the medical folks live and work (you have to go thru a check point to get into it). Showers and toilets were in connex buildings, no problems with hot water or using the facilities when you wanted to. Nice gym to use with treadmills and free weights. Lived in 10? man wooden huts, everyone had their own room with a door or a curtain for a door. Internet access and phone access was available all over the compund, I think you could get it in your room also but I am not positive on that.

You had to leave the compound for chow, there is a few different DFACs available, the korean DFAC was one of the best (my unit was preventive med, so we got to know all the coalition forces).

There were 2 PX's when i was there, one big and one smaller. Beauty shop where you can get your hair done, body waxed, nails fixed etc. and cheap too.

There was a market that the locals ran, I think it was on Saturday that you could go to it.

Bagram is pretty big and everything runs off of one main road so that main road is crowded with vehicles and soldiers. Oh another thing at night all lights were out, so it was pitch black.

Hope this helps give you a little bit of an idea of what it is like. If you have anymore questions please ask. And don't worry this is a good place for a deployment, unless you like to be out in the middle of everything like me.

jeckrn, BSN, RN · Oct 13, 2009

Stay safe & good luck.

FST6 · Oct 14, 2009

Bagram is a very crowded base. With the surge of troops rolling into Afghanistan, living space is hard to come by. When I was leaving Afghanistan in August, my team was placed in a 100-man tent off at the end of the main runway. The hospital itself is quite nice. It's like working at a small modern hospital in the U.S. They have ample equipment and supplies for patient care. The hospital is busy in the summer and somewhat slower in the winter. I had cause to visit the hospital on multiple occasions, (usually when I was bringing in a patient from my FST) and I think it is set up quite well. They have a full radiology department (with CT scanner), a full lab, and many other useful departments as well. The wards have full size patient care beds and patient care equipment you would find stateside. You will be taking care of many Afghans. That is a reality at Bagram. Some of those patients stay as long as 2-3 months. This will frustrate you at times. Just roll with it as best you can. Chances are you will be living in the nice dorms near the hospital. However, they were cramming 6 people per room when I left due to the overcrowding situation. There were more barracks being built, so maybe this won't be an issue for you when you arrive. Huntermli pretty much summed up the BX/PX and dining facilities. You will hear jets taking off at all hours of the day and night, but you'll get used to it. Rocket and mortar attacks against the base happen more frequently in the summer than the winter. Just know where the nearest bunker is at all times. Don't EVER get complacent while you are in Bagram. While it may seem like a big safe base, the bad guys are always trying to find a way inside the wire to cause trouble. Good luck on your tour. Stay alert, stay alive, and we'll see you when you get back.

AF46N3E · Oct 15, 2009

Are the nurses in the hospital wearing ABU's or scrubs? Just trying to plan accordingly. Thanks to those of you who have responded to my questions. You have really made my life a lot easier at this point, just knowing what to expect makes a world of difference!

FST6 · Oct 18, 2009

The hospital will provide ABU colored scrubs. You just need to supply your shoes. Sneakers or clogs will do. There are also locker rooms for you to change in, but there are not enough lockers for all nursing staff to have their own. If you really want to get an edge on your upcomming work at Bagram, I recommend the following:

1. Read the Emergency War Surgery Handbook (4th Revision). Look it up on google. You can download it for free.

2. Try to learn some basic phrases in Dari or Pashto. You will have interpreters at BAF, but it's nice for you to be able to speak the basics.

3. Pre-pack some boxes with personal items you want in Afghanistan. This should include toiletry items, nice warm blankets (a cold winter awaits you), extra clothing (underwear, T-shirts, etc.) and whatever other creature comforts you desire. When you get settled in Bagram, have a friend mail you those boxes. That will reduce what you have to pack in your duffel bags when you travel. The less weight you carry, the easier it is to get around.

4. Remember, you will be stuck in either Kuwait or Kyrgyzstan for a few days before you hit Bagram. Pack a kit that contains 5 days worth of socks, t-shirts, and underwear to use while you are in transit. This way you don't have to dig into your main bags for stuff.

5. Find a comfortable holster for your M9 pistol. This weapon will be on you at all times. Bagram does not allow shoulder holsters that hold the pistol in such a way that the barrel is pointing in any direction but straight down towards the ground. If you don't have a cleaning kit for your weapon, get one. Dirty weapons can be the death of you should you ever need to use it. Don't be that guy.

6. It will be wet and very cold during the winter. Bagram sits at around 5,000 feet of elevation. Pack accordingly.

I can't think of anything else right now. If I do, I'll pass it on. Take care.

Cursed Irishman · Oct 18, 2009

5. Find a comfortable holster for your M9 pistol. This weapon will be on you at all times. Bagram does not allow shoulder holsters that hold the pistol in such a way that the barrel is pointing in any direction but straight down towards the ground.

Not just a comfortable holster (safariland with mag holders worked well for me), but also consider getting a very good belt such as a wilderness 5-stitch instructor belt and a set of suspenders similar to these to ease the burden of having an awkward five pound weight hanging from your thigh.

AF46N3E · Oct 22, 2009

Thanks so much everyone. I appreciate all of the time you have spent to give me your advice. Does anyone know how many shifts a week nurses are working down range...I am assuming its intense just wondering if anyone knows the deal?

FST6 · Oct 24, 2009

You can expect to work 4-5 12 hour shifts per week plus one on call day.