In the first agreement of its kind, Maj. Gen. Joe Heck, 807th Medical Command (Deployment support) Commanding General, and Brig. Gen. Stephen Iacovelli, 94th Training Division (Force Sustainment) Commanding General, came together to sign a Memorandum of Understanding instituting the Visiting Adjunct Instructor Program (VAIP), at Fort Douglas, Utah, April 8, 2021.

The VAIP’s intent is to fill the shortages of qualified senior enlisted instructors within the 94th Training Division (Force Sustainment), increasing the availability of critical training such as the Advanced Leader Course and Senior Leader Course for the grades of E-6 to E-7, Staff Sergeant through Sergeant First Class.

The 5th Brigade (Health Services) and the 94th agreed to fund and train 807th 68-series soldiers from Staff Sergeant through Sergeant First Class, to become fully qualified instructors. The VAIP consolidates the curriculum into a 45 day additional duty order, ADOS-RC, ensuring those same soldiers continue the 807th MC(DS) operational mission of deployment support while creating a “reserve” of qualified instructors. The instructors will augment the 94th TD Army Program for Individual Training (ARPRINT) mission at Fort Knox, Ky., and Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA), Texas.

This year, 5th Brigade will be teaching about 1500 quotas in the health service classes. Not only does the agreement fill the ARPRINT 68-series instructor shortage, it increases U.S. Army Reserve Army Medical (AMEDD) School capacity.

Being the first to work together, the 807th and the 94th are paving the way in establishing a model that supports Sustained Readiness. Each command is instrumental and dependent upon each other for the program’s success. If the 94th is struggling to meet instructor quotas, the 807th is struggling to meet senior enlisted leadership fill and getting soldiers through the courses.

“We talk a lot about people and readiness being top priorities and this is one way that we can support both of those efforts,” said Heck. “This agreement is going to decrease the backlog of soldiers who need to complete their medical services training, and increase readiness across the board.”

Iacovelli said, “We really appreciate this… with you leading the way this really is a win-win situation. By loaning us some of your soldiers, above and beyond their normal duty, this really is an opportunity for you to help yourself and not just you, but we teach all three compos, active, guard, and reserve."

Following the signing of the memorandum, Iacovelli presented 807th Acting Command Sergeant Major Christie Fields with a coin.

“You’ve been the spearhead on this and really pushed it through”, said Iacovelli to Fields. “It will give your soldiers a career broadening opportunity… and they can get a badge to put on their pocket as well, as an instructor.”

Fields expressed that as a functional command it’s important to grow leaders.

“Our soldiers have been doing a lot of these tasks on the operational side. In the medical field, when it comes to training and becoming skilled, we have a 'see one, do one, teach one' slogan,” said Fields. “Our soldiers have seen and done medical procedures, and now it's time to go out and pass on those life-saving skills. You’re not really proficient in your field until you’re teaching others.”

The 807th is the largest medical command in the Army Reserve that delivers seamless Army Health System support to theater and combatant commands through critical medical warfighting functions and provides the full-spectrum of medical operations.

“Our mission is to provide the best trained, most ready, highly capable Warrior Medics, Medical Teams, and Medical units to the field and this is an opportunity to realize that charge,” said Heck. “We appreciate the opportunity to be engaged, give our soldiers an additional opportunity to learn new skills and bring those back to be used on an organic basis.”