RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (AP) - The U.S. military is shutting down its last MASH. This month, the Army will donate the last Mobile Army Surgical Hospital to Pakistan where it has been caring for survivors of last year's massive earthquake, Rear Admiral Michael LeFever said Saturday at an air base outside the capital Islamabad. "This is the last MASH unit in the United States Army," said LeFever. "We are excited that this MASH will live on in Pakistan."The 84-bed, $4.5-million MASH unit includes a surgical suite with two operating tables, two intensive care units, a pharmacy, laboratory, radiology units and a power generation system, the military said.| And an 84 bed hospital with lab, xray, and generators will earn us precisely diddly squat in terms of gratitude. The seething and eyerolling will start before the plane wheels leave the runway... |
After the last MASH goes to Pakistan on Feb. 16, its personnel will return to Germany for training before they are sent to Afghanistan. The U.S. military has been told plans to wrap up its relief mission in Pakistan by March 31, LeFever said. |