AUGUST 11, 2025 — The Secretary of the Army recognized Winn Army Community Hospital staff members Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, during a ceremony at the hospital.
The Honorable Dan Driscoll presented coins to several Winn Soldiers and civilians for their role in providing emergency medical care to five injured Soldiers after a shooting incident on the installation Wednesday, Aug. 6.
As he spoke to the team gathered at the hospital, he acknowledged the significance of their response and the strength they had shown in the aftermath.
“You never hope this happens in our Army community,” said Driscoll. “You never hope it happens with one of our fellow Soldiers. But the resilience all of you are showing by being back today, it matters.”
Later in his remarks, Driscoll thanked the Winn team for their continued dedication.
“Thank you for showing back up. Thank you for doing your job,” he said.
Prior to Driscoll’s visit on Wednesday evening, Winn Commander Col. Margaret Berryman sent a message to her team expressing her gratitude for how the Winn team’s synchronized action across multiple departments contributed to the lifesaving efforts they provided.
“Thanks to the swift, skilled and coordinated response across our organization — from EMS and the emergency department to surgery, security, emergency management and supporting staff — those Soldiers are now stable and receiving the care they need,” Berryman said.
Berryman emphasized that the incident underscored not only medical readiness but also the hospital’s role in supporting force protection across the installation.
“This was an organization-wide response, and each of you played a part,” Berryman said. “Whether you were directly involved in care or supporting operations behind the scenes, your actions reflected the very best of who we are.”
One of those teams involved was the Fort Stewart Pre-Hospital Emergency Medical Services, PHEMS, which provided transportation of the Soldiers to the hospital.
Jim Ochoa, EMS chief, said that regular training helped prepare his team for the situation.
“Fort Stewart pre-hospital emergency medical services participate in annual force protection exercises to rehearse for incidents like this,” Ochoa added. “I was proud of our PHEMS crews; their decision-making and clinical acumen aided in the positive outcome.”
“I was there to represent my paramedics and EMTs,” he said. “The recognition is theirs.”
Another teammate recognized during the ceremony was Lt. Col. Brittany Kull, assistant deputy commander for specialty services, who served in the emergency department that day. Kull is one of only two military emergency room nurses currently assigned to Winn.
“My training and combat deployments prepared me, but truly, I didn’t do anything extraordinary — I was just part of an incredible team,” Kull said. “My focus was on doing my job, supporting the team and making sure my patient got the care she needed.”
Kull added that she appreciated the recognition but emphasized it belonged to the broader response.
“It’s an honor, but honestly, I don’t feel like I did anything special,” she said. “I was part of a team, and we all did our jobs that day. If anything, the recognition really belongs to the entire team. I was one part of a much bigger effort.”
Her reflection underscored the collective effort behind the response — an example of teamwork that Berryman said defines the purpose of the Winn team.
A purpose Berryman reiterated in the closing of her message by reinforcing the hospital’s mission and commitment to readiness.
“This is our purpose: to care for the warfighter, to protect life and to stand ready when it matters most,” Berryman wrote in the closing of her message.
By Gustave Rehnstrom