CHARLESTON, W.Va. –
The West Virginia Army National Guard’s Medical Readiness Detachment (MEDDET) located in South Charleston, West Virginia, was recognized early in April 2025, as the top-performing unit for overall medical readiness among medium-sized states for Fiscal Year 2024. This prestigious national distinction highlights the unit’s unwavering commitment to ensuring the health and deployability of the WVARNG’s Soldiers.
“I am honored to be the Commander of the best medium sized Medical Readiness unit in the nation,” said MEDDET Commander Maj. Tiffany Hendershot. “We have a team of full-time military and civilian personnel that keep the daily operations going and our traditional Soldiers volunteer for missions throughout the month and are vital to our success.”
The awards ceremony was held Apr. 17, 2025, at the Army National Guard Medical Readiness Conference at The Professional Education Center (PEC) in Little Rock, Arkansas. The data for the award comes from MEDPROS- the Army’s system to track Soldier health.
“We consistently outperform other states for medical readiness because we have solid communication and relationships with every unit in the WVARNG,” said Hendershot. “We identify potential problems early and do what it takes to get soldiers medically ready to serve and deploy.”
Located in South Charleston, MEDDET provides comprehensive medical services, including annual physical and dental evaluations, immunizations, audiograms, behavioral health screenings, and follow-up care for injured or ill Soldiers. In recent years, MEDDET has consistently ranked among the top five units, nationally, for medical readiness. MEDDET's role extends beyond routine medical services in various operational situations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the unit was instrumental in West Virginia's response efforts, conducting testing, administering vaccines, and providing critical support to public health initiatives.
Hendershot said that this national recognition underscores MEDDET’s vital contribution to the readiness and resilience of the WVARNG. Their dedication ensures that the WVARNG’s Soldiers are medically prepared to respond to both domestic and international missions.
Making sure Soldiers are medically ready requires continuous planning and organization. MEDDET has continued to update their processes over the last several years and the hard work has paid off, Hendershot said. They work with units up to 18 months pre-deployment to make sure Soldiers have enough opportunities to be cleared medically to deploy.