The thought of a field hospital conjures up images of medics rolling battle-wounded troops on gurneys into a dimly lit operating room. The 447th Expeditionary Medical Squadron at Sather Air Base located at Baghdad International Airport, Iraq, no longer battles the desert dust or works in cramped quarters.

They moved inside recently to a new 15,000-square foot modular medical clinic, and they did it with no ill-effects to services.

“We opened the doors at the new clinic minutes after closing the doors at the tents. We basically duplicated services,” said Col. (Dr.) Christian Benjamin, squadron commander.

The new clinic more than doubles the workspace from the old 6,000-foot clinic. It also provides a cleaner, brighter facility.

“The facility is a lot more clean and sanitary,” said Maj. Jeff McLean, a clinical social worker with the squadron.

The clinic provides primary care for the Airmen assigned to Sather Air Base, emergent care and surgery for battle-wounded troops and referral specialist services such as orthopedics and emergency dentistry.

Although the clinic’s primary customers are Airmen, the staff also provides referral and emergent and trauma care to the U.S. military, contractors and Iraqi forces assigned to the Victory Base Complex at Baghdad International Airport, or BIAP.

“Our care is at the same standard as you would receive in the (United) States,” Colonel Benjamin said. “We are only limited by what toys we have to use.”

Instead of the dark green, dusty and cramped tents, the new clinic features linoleum floors, sealed windows and doors and room to expand the current services.

A key benefit of the new clinic is less dust accumulation. Dust is an enemy to the medics and their patients because it can cause infection.

“(Less dust) reduces chances of wound infections,” said Maj. (Dr.) Jeff Rose, 447th general surgeon.

The more sterile environment is key because the clinic is the first level of care off of the battlefield for many troops who are fighting the war near Baghdad International Airport.

“We are the only surgical-based clinic at Victory Base Complex,” Colonel Benjamin said. The Army has general practice clinics in tents scattered throughout the complex, which includes all the military inside the BIAP walls.

“We’ll do emergency surgery here, but then move (the patient) to a higher-level facility (in or out of theater),” he said.

An Army special forces medic, who treats Soldiers in combat here, said having the facility nearby “raises the Soldier’s life expectancy.”

“I’m limited to what I have with me (on the battlefield),” said the medic, who cannot be named for security reasons.

Although the combat wounded keep the orthopedic and general surgeons here busy, many patients are seen for fitness-related sprains and strains at the orthopedic clinic, said Maj. (Dr.) J.T. Tokish, 447th orthopedic surgeon. Many of his patients are what he calls “bingers” -- people who decide to get in shape while deployed without following a proper exercise routine.

“Instead of adopting a proper fitness lifestyle, they go to the gym, and get injured because of overusing their muscles,” Major Tokish said.

The clinic space also provides room for the clinic’s other services -- bioenvironmental, public health, life skills, general and dental sick call -- to operate in individual offices. Major McLean, who provides patient counseling, said this is an improvement from the tents because patients can relax on a cot and talk about the stress they face from combat or deployment.

Although still an expeditionary clinic, the clinic’s “M*A*S*H*” days are done.