Photo By Master Sgt. Gary Witte | Spc. Chante Hall, a Combat Lifesaver of the 863rd Combat Service Support Battalion,...... read more read more
By Sgt. Karl Johnson
366th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, Calif. – Among explosions and the screams of the injured, more than 50 Soldiers from 20 different units pressed forward, unsure of what was on the other side of the smoke.
As the air cleared, a downed helicopter and its injured crew came into view.
The Soldiers sprang into action, working to care for the most critically wounded first.
On this day, the explosions that kept everyone on edge and the injured patients that demanded attention were not real. They were training aids and roleplaying Soldiers helping to make the final day of a Combat Lifesaver course during exercise Pacific Warrior here more realistic.
"I saw casualties everywhere screaming (for) help," said Pfc. Edwin Lopez, with the 320th Chemical Company. "At first it was a little overwhelming, but once I got to my first patient, I just jumped in and remembered what they taught us in class."
The Combat Lifesaver course is a four-day event designed to give Soldiers who are not in the medical field, the basic tools necessary to treat injuries they might encounter in a combat zone.
The final day of the training is designed to require the Soldiers to use the skills they've learned in the classroom while at the same time being put under extreme stress.
"We try to make the training as real life as possible," said Sgt. 1st Class Herbert Taitingfong, a trainer with the 402nd Field Artillery Brigade.
"We put them under a lot of stress while they're trying to complete their mission. They have to treat and collect casualties, and then evacuate them via air or ground transportation.
"We're teaching these Soldiers the skills they'll need to save lives. They're learning things only medics previously knew how to do."
The impact of the Combat Lifesaver program is already felt on the battlefield. Soldiers who have received the training are now the Army's first responders, providing aid until a medic gets on the scene.
"CLS training is already saving lives," said Taitingfong. "Approximately 15 percent of battlefield (fatalities) could be saved with the proper immediate care."
Combat Lifesaver courses are scheduled and filled to capacity for the duration of exercise Pacific Warrior.
| Date Taken: | 06.18.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 06.18.2008 16:50 |
| Story ID: | 20617 |
| Location: | FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 452 |
| Downloads: | 343 |
This work, First blood: Soldiers use lifesaving skills, by SSG Karl Johnson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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