US, Australian Medics Aim to Make Difference

Photo By Sgt. William Hester | Australian combat medics teach members of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force proper treatment for neck injuries at Taurama Barracks, Papua New Guinea, as part of exercise Puk Puk 15, Sept. 5. Puk Puk, part of larger exercise Olgetta Warrior 15, is primarily an engineering and military skills exercise, but Australian medics and a U.S. Navy corpsman are working to train Papua New Guinea medical staff to instill them with enough confidence and knowledge to teach basic first aid and other medical skills. The medics are with 2nd Close Health Battalion, Royal Australian Army. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. William Hester/ Released)  

TAURAMA BARRACKS, PAPUA NEW GUINEA

09.03.2015

Story by Cpl. William Hester 

III Marine Expeditionary Force   

TAURAMA BARRACKS, Papua New Guinea - Papua New Guinea has roughly one doctor per 17,000 people. Australian and U.S. military medical personnel have responded to PNG's medical need by providing the people of Papua New Guinea with basic techniques and methods to increase their medical capabilities.

Soldiers from the Royal Australian Army and one U.S. Navy corpsman traveled from Townsville, Queensland, Australia, to Taurama Barracks, Papua New Guinea, with the Puk Puk Squadron, members from the Australian Army’s 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment, U.S. Marines from 9th Engineer Support Battalion, U.S. sailors from 3rd Naval Mobile Construction Battalion and British Royal Engineers from Sep. to Oct. for exercise Puk Puk 15 to exchange basic military skills.

“Medical is essential,” said Australian Army Capt. Simon P. O’Regan, a medical officer with 1st Close Health Battalion, currently attached to the Puk Puk Squadron for the exercise. “For us, it’s a great opportunity to test our skills supporting a combat unit on an exercise.”

The primary focus for the medics is to support the engineers who are working to refurbish infrastructure and provide basic military training for the Papua New Guinea Defence Force, according to O’Regan. However, the medics have found another opportunity to make a difference while they’re here at Taurama Barracks.

“We’re here to train their medics, but also their basic soldier population,” said U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Garrett T. Hannon, a corpsman from Headquarters and Support Company, 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group. “Our objective is to give their medics more confidence, training and the ability to train their own soldiers effectively, without hesitation.”

Some of this training includes basic-first-aid methods, such as tourniquet application, treatment for venomous snake bites, transportation of patients and treatment for gunshot wounds.

“Normally this exercise is all combat-type missions,” said O’Regan. “Here, we have more time to plan and rehearse, and there’s a lot more training for the Papua New Guinea Defence Force.”

Not only is this exercise different in a sense of training scheme, but the Australians have adopted Hannon, the U.S. Navy corpsman from Abington, Massachusetts, as part of their medical staff.

“I’ve learned a different side of the table,” said Hannon. “They have a different way of doing things, and we are all learning from each other.”

With multiple tours overseas, O’Regan said he is ecstatic to have Hannon with his team.

“It’s fantastic for us,” he said. “We get to see the skills of different nations and the different personalities of the coalition we generally work with.”

Despite the different operating procedures and the challenges, Hannon says he is grateful for the opportunity.

“At the end of the day it’s about getting the proper medical care to the people that need it,” said Hannon. “It’s rewarding to know that I’m helping a foreign country that does not have the same things we do, and the Papua New Guinea Defence Force is very eager to learn.”

• Date Taken: 09.03.2015
• Date Posted: 09.21.2015 03:35
• Story ID: 176173
• Location: TAURAMA BARRACKS, PG