15. The CCC provided medical care to all of its enrollees
Since many of the men entered the CCC malnourished they were at first prone to illnesses, and the camps contained infirmaries to provide for their care. The nature of the work performed also led to accidents, some of a minor nature and others more serious. Hard work on rocky terrain led to sprains and twisted joints, woodworking and carpentry led to splinters and cuts, and accidents led to bruises, and other misfortunes. Baseball Hall of Famer Red Schoendienst suffered an eye injury which nearly led to him losing the eye, though he ignored the suggestions of doctors to have the eye removed, and eventually recovered most of his vision.
Minor cases were treated by medical personnel within the camps. Those which were too serious for local treatment were sent to the closest military hospital; in the case of Camp Roosevelt, Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington. There were occasional fatalities, from work accidents and from illnesses, but they were lower overall than the statistical average for men of their age group. Overwhelmingly, the men who enrolled in the CCC left the organization in better health than when they entered it, stronger, better nourished, and with a far more positive outlook for the future.