A Soldier Delivered His Daughter At Fort Drum's Gates After The Base Hospital Turned His Wife...

Thanks for sharing PO1 Tony Holland that a soldier delivered his daughter at Fort Drum's gates after the Fort Drum base hospital turned his wife because she wasn’t dilated enough to have her baby and she was sent back home.
FYI, I helped deliver my first son in 1988 at home in Columbus, Georgia while I was stationed at Fort Benning. Then in 1991 I delivered my second son at the Bethesda Birthing Center in Bethesda, Maryland while I was assigned to US Army CAA in Bethesda, Maryland.
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Wayne Brandon LTC Bill Koski Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown Maj Marty Hogan MSG Andrew White SFC William Farrell SSgt Robert Marx PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SPC Margaret Higgins MSgt Jason McClish AN Christopher Crayne SPC Tom DeSmet SGT Charles H. Hawes SGT (Join to see) SSG David Andrews

Congratulations to Brittany Kennedy for delivering a daughter under exceptional circumstances. She's fortunate to have had the assistance of Sgt. Preston Kennedy who conducted himself with distinction.

I hope, however, that this incident sparks a review of the Army's agreement with the hospital in Watertown. Now that so many military hospitals have closed, forcing reliance for OB/GYN services on local hospitals, in this case 25 minutes away from where the family lived on base, turning folks back, no matter how well-intentioned, is an invitation to a bad outcome. What if Bella (the newbie) wasn't a normal presentation or required immediate NICU care?

In many ways this is an inspirational story...both the wife and her Soldier were brave and persevering. It is sad that the hospital was so short sighted and apparently callused to the overall situation...the kind of care of "take to aspirin and call me in the morning" and don't bother them until then. Were they that busy to not put the Mrs. Kennedy observation...if only to check for complications? I wonder if Sgt. Preston Kennedy was an officer would they had sent them back home. I hope there is a 15-6 investigation or commander's inquiry...something doesn't pass the smell test...at least my smell test.