Field Garrison Training: Building a Solid Defense Against Infectious Diseases
Field Garrison Training: Building a Solid Defense Against Infectious Diseases
■ Wang Zhihui | PLA Daily Reporter Li Weixin | Illustrated by Jiang Chen
During field garrison training (野外驻训), comrades move from familiar garrison areas to relatively unfamiliar environments, where eating, drinking, lodging, and movement all differ from life in the garrison. Unfamiliar terrain, complex weather conditions, and relatively rudimentary food and lodging conditions combine to potentially create opportunities for various infectious diseases. Wang Weibing, chief physician of the Infectious Disease Department at Joint Logistic Support Force (联勤保障部队) No. 904 Hospital, draws on real-world cases to summarize prevention and treatment methods for common infectious diseases during field garrison training, helping comrades build a solid defense against infectious disease.
I
[Case Review] During one field training exercise, Private First Class Xiao Liu was overcome with thirst. Seeing that a mountain stream looked clear, he bent down and drank several mouthfuls. That night he developed severe abdominal pain and was rushed by his comrades to the medical team. After examination, the military physician diagnosed him with bacillary dysentery; investigation traced the source to drinking water from the wild stream.
Wang Weibing reminds comrades to pay close attention to food and water hygiene during field garrison training. In summer, high temperatures and humidity make food and water prone to spoilage. Combined with the limited conditions at training sites, if hygiene is neglected, pathogens can enter the body through the mouth and trigger infectious diseases such as cholera, dysentery, typhoid fever, and ascariasis.
To prevent "disease entering through the mouth" (病从口入), comrades are advised to attend to the following four areas.
Eating. Water used for consumption must meet drinking water standards; river water and rainwater must not be consumed directly. Exercise caution when eating snails and shellfish; do not consume the meat of animals or poultry that have died from disease, poisoning, or unknown causes. Cooked food must not be stored at room temperature for more than two hours. Avoid eating leftovers as much as possible; if leftovers must be consumed, confirm they have not spoiled and reheat them thoroughly. Do not eat raw or cold food; wash fruit thoroughly before eating.
Storage. Prepare food in quantities matched to need, minimizing leftovers. Implement the principle of "separating raw from cooked" (生熟分开): utensils used for handling raw and cooked food must be kept and used separately. Maintain sanitation and disinfection; tableware must be cleaned and disinfected before use.
Sanitation. Garbage must be bagged and sorted for disposal; burying waste in improvised pits is strictly prohibited. Field latrines must be constructed downwind, at least 50 meters from water sources, mess facilities, and tents, and must be disinfected daily and covered with soil at regular intervals. Maintain personal hygiene; wash hands with clean water and soap before meals, after using the latrine, and after contact with contaminated materials.
Procurement. Food must be procured centrally to ensure reliable sourcing, freshness, and freedom from contamination. Do not purchase or consume products lacking the required labeling ("three-no" products, i.e., products without a producer name, production date, or quality certification).
Once infectious diarrhea occurs, the standardized response procedure must be initiated immediately.
Stop. Immediately cease training and rest; prevent fainting and fall injuries.
Replenish. For mild to moderate dehydration symptoms—such as dry mouth, reduced and dark-colored urine, and fatigue—administer oral rehydration salts, taking small sips slowly. For severe dehydration, medical personnel must immediately establish intravenous access for fluid replacement.
Report. If three or more personnel develop diarrhea collectively, report immediately, seal any suspect food, and conduct a thorough disinfection of the kitchen.
Follow orders. Take medication as directed by the physician; self-medicating to mask symptoms is strictly prohibited.
Recuperate. After the acute phase, patients may consume bland liquid foods such as rice porridge and noodle broth, gradually transitioning back to a normal diet; avoid raw, cold, and spicy foods. If a patient develops a body temperature exceeding 39°C, bloody stools, or altered consciousness, they must be sent for medical treatment immediately.
II
[Case Review] During a concealment training exercise, scout Xiao Yang crouched in dense undergrowth for nearly two hours. That evening he felt a slight itch at the top of his inner thigh and assumed it was a scratch from grass. A week later, Xiao Yang suddenly developed a high fever and was sent to hospital, where he was diagnosed with tick-borne disease; emergency treatment brought him out of danger. A post-incident review found that the tick bite was located in the groin area, and because no self-inspection or mutual inspection had been conducted after returning to the unit, the optimal window for treatment had been missed.
Field garrison training sites are often located in mountainous, hilly, and jungle terrain—the primary breeding and propagation grounds for mosquitoes, ticks, chigger mites (恙螨), and similar pests. Many infectious diseases—including epidemic encephalitis B (流行性乙型脑炎), dengue fever, scrub typhus (恙虫病), and tick-borne disease (蜱虫病)—are transmitted through these vectors. Comrades must therefore maintain personal protection during field garrison training to prevent vector-borne infection (虫媒传染).
The key to preventing vector-borne infection lies in physical barrier measures. Under normal conditions, mosquitoes, chigger mites, and ticks are most active in damp, vegetation-rich areas such as riverbanks and stagnant water ponds. When operating in the field, comrades should avoid lingering in such areas. Campsites should be selected in well-ventilated, dry locations, and the areas surrounding the camp and living tents should be disinfected at regular intervals. If contact with such environments is unavoidable, take protective measures: do not sit or lie in grass or shrubs for extended periods; tighten cuffs and trouser legs to reduce exposed skin surface; apply insect-repellent compounds such as diethyltoluamide (驱蚊酯) to exposed areas of the body. After leaving such areas, inspect the body and clothing for attached insects and remove them promptly. Upon returning to the campsite, each squad and platoon is advised to organize personnel to conduct self-inspections and mutual inspections for bites from venomous insects, with particular attention to concealed areas including the scalp, behind the ears, the neck, armpits, and groin. If bite wounds or swelling and redness are found, handle them correctly and monitor closely.
III
[Case Review] Soldier Xiao Zhang developed a low-grade fever and sore throat during garrison training. Believing it was a cold that he could "tough out" (扛一扛就过去了), he did not report it promptly. Several days later, three comrades sharing his tent successively developed coughing and fever. Military physicians diagnosed them with a cluster of respiratory infections caused by adenovirus.
During field garrison training, officers and soldiers live together in tents in close quarters with frequent contact. Combined with large diurnal temperature swings and high training intensity, these conditions can cause fluctuations in immunity, at which point influenza viruses, Mycoplasma, and other pathogens may exploit the opening and spread rapidly through droplets and aerosols.
The following measures can be taken during field garrison training to prevent respiratory infectious diseases.
Monitor symptoms. Each squad and platoon is advised to designate one health monitor (卫生骨干) to observe the mental state and health condition of nearby comrades. If a comrade is found to have symptoms such as fever, coughing, sore throat, or fatigue, immediately alert them and report.
Strengthen immunity. During the peak season for respiratory infectious diseases such as influenza, or when cases are present in the surrounding area, take protective measures; wear masks as much as possible when entering enclosed, crowded spaces. Avoid excessive fatigue. After high-intensity training, promptly wipe away sweat and adjust clothing layers. Ensure adequate sleep.
Prevent infection. Once a respiratory infectious disease case is identified, immediately transfer the patient to a separate tent for isolation; personal items must be for the patient's exclusive use to prevent cross-infection. The original tent must be thoroughly disinfected. In addition, monitor close contacts for any abnormalities and report immediately if any are found.
IV
[Case Review] Soldier Xiao Wang, who had an unhealed wound on his leg, participated in a field fortification repair mission after heavy rain. Before the mission, he covered the wound in advance with waterproof dressing and wore waterproof trousers and waterproof boots. Upon returning to camp, Xiao Wang immediately rinsed his entire body with running water. That evening, the medical team's military physician praised Xiao Wang's approach during rounds. It was precisely because the wound was sealed tightly and post-operation cleaning was thorough that pathogens in the contaminated water failed to invade the wound.
Contaminated water and silt in nature may carry pathogens that can enter the body through wounds in the skin or through mucous membranes such as the mouth, nasal cavity, and eyes, causing infection and triggering infectious diseases such as schistosomiasis, tetanus, and hookworm disease.
When conducting water-crossing operations (涉水作业) during field garrison training, comrades should observe the following points.
Know the risks. Before field garrison training, officers and soldiers must thoroughly understand whether infectious diseases such as leptospirosis and schistosomiasis are prevalent at the training site. If a risk of prevalence exists, strengthen personal protection during the training period and avoid wading or swimming in unidentified bodies of water.
Wear protective gear. Before conducting water-crossing operations, first observe the water body to assess whether it may be contaminated. When entering the water is unavoidable, wear waterproof boots, rubber gloves, and waterproof trousers. If there are wounds on the body, they must be sealed tightly with waterproof dressing (such as liquid bandage combined with waterproof bandaging).
Prioritize cleaning. After operations conclude, thoroughly rinse the entire body with running water, paying particular attention to areas such as under the fingernails, the armpits, and the groin. Personal clothing, bedding, and daily-use items must be kept dry and free of mold; change soiled clothing promptly.
If, after water-crossing operations, symptoms such as sudden high fever, severe pain in the calf muscles, or yellowing of the whites of the eyes appear, leptospirosis should be strongly suspected and the military physician must be reported to immediately. Under the physician's confirmed diagnosis and guidance, early use of penicillin or doxycycline is an effective treatment; simultaneously, monitor closely for early signs of pulmonary hemorrhage and renal failure, and be prepared for medical evacuation at any time.
Every comrade is the first person responsible for their own health. Comrades are advised to heighten individual protection awareness, maintain personal protection during field garrison training, and cut off the transmission routes of infectious diseases (切断传染病传播途径). Once the early signs of illness are detected, they must be addressed as early as possible.