American volunteers in the war in Ukraine, many U.S. military veterans, wounded in combat are getting medical care from the U.S. Army.
The New York Times reports that the Army’s Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany has been treating American volunteers wounded in the fighting in Ukraine. Of the 14 fighters from Ukraine currently receiving care there, the majority are Americans. The hospital, previously a major treatment center for service members hurt during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq , is now providing care to those that the U.S. government had urged not to join the war in Ukraine.
Last spring Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin approved plans for Ukrainian troops to be treated at Landstuhl, which is located near Ramstein Air Base. The initial guidance called for taking care of 18 Ukrainian fighters at a time. According to the New York Times, the American volunteers count toward that 18-person limit. Some wounded arrived at the hospital soon after Austin’s guidance, but more began arriving at the end of summer 2022. Germany itself had previously pledged to provide treatment for wounded Ukrainian soldiers and civilians.
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The United States military has used Germany as the base for several of its training programs for Ukrainian troops. Although the American military is not directly involved in the fighting, the U.S. has supplied large amounts of weapons and ammunition to Kyiv and provided training for its fighters in Europe and the United States. The involvement of the Landstuhl hospital shows another layer of American support for Ukraine, as well as a reminder of the large number of American volunteers involved in the war.
There are currently a few hundred American volunteers fighting in Ukraine, part of the thousands of foreigners who went to the country to fight the Russian invasion. At least 18 American veterans have died in the fighting since the war began in February 2022.
The Landstuhl facility is the largest military medical center outside of the United States, with 65 beds. According to the New York Times, the hospital is treating volunteer fighters from New Zealand, Canada and the United Kingdom in addition to Americans and Ukrainians.
The U.S. government has urged Americans not to volunteer for the war. Despite that, many have, with several suffering injuries on the battlefield. Now the Army is taking care of them.
According to wounded American veterans staying at Landstuhl, many were hurt in fighting in the Donetsk region of Ukraine. Ukrainian hospitals, they said, are struggling with high numbers of wounded as well as limited supplies and sometimes poor sanitation.
The U.S. government has urged Americans not to volunteer for the war. Despite that, many have, with several suffering injuries on the battlefield. Now the Army is taking care of them.
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