Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Isolda Reyes | BAGHDAD – Iraqi soldiers and airmen prepare to load a simulated casualty onto an...... read more read more
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BAGHDAD – Over the past several months Soldiers from the 29th Combat Aviation Brigade have been active in working with their counterparts from the Iraqi security forces, including Iraqi army aviation, when the request came for the CAB to collaborate with this group once again, they jumped at the chance.
The result of this request was an aeromedical evacuation familiarization course which assisted in training Iraqi forces in Baghdad, Iraq, Nov. 26, 2017.
The familiarization training included cold load training, in which a patient is loaded onto a helicopter with the helicopter is turned off, and hot load training, in which the helicopter is on with the rotors spinning, explained Sgt. Johnny Kilroy, a flight medic with the 29th CAB’s 2-149th General Support Aviation Battalion.
During the initial discussion at the start of the course between the two partner forces, the CAB instructors quickly realized that in addition to regular front-line soldiers, Iraqi medical professionals were also in attendance, including a general who is a flight surgeon, flight medics and clinicians.
The Iraqi trainees had significant medical experience, shifting the focus of the training from basic HH-60 MEDEVAC helicopter familiarization to a collaboration on how the U.S. and Iraqi forces can better help each other in the future.
“I was taken by surprise once we realized who we were training,” said Kilroy. “We quickly shifted our discussion to better meet their needs.”
The Iraqi forces detailed how they worked in the field, especially during the fight for Mosul; and a desire to improve training for their soldiers on how to treat injuries on and off of the battlefield.
“I learned that several of our Iraqi counterparts are scheduled to go to Fort Sam Houston to attend the Flight Medic Train-the-Trainer course,” said Kilroy. “I think this was a great segue coming here because they will be familiar with some of our tools and equipment and will bring their experience to the course as well.”
The discussion about equipment and techniques transitioned to a practical application of placing someone onto a litter and working as a team to lift that casualty properly. Finally, the training attendees secured a simulated patient into an HH-60M MEDEVAC helicopter and practiced all of those techniques as if it were a real-life event.
“Everyone participated, including the Iraqi general flight surgeon,” said Sgt. Blaze Amodei, a flight medic from 2-149th GSAB. “It was a good day of training and I learned a lot.”
“I enjoy working with the U.S. Soldiers. They have shown us many examples of how to better treat patients we come across,” said an Iraqi army aviation major.
This is not the first time Soldiers from the 29th CAB have trained with their Iraqi counterparts. Past training events included a flight medic course and a Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear Defense training event, which occurred this past summer in Erbil, Iraq.
The 29th CAB provides aviation capability, including, offensive strikes, aerial reconnaissance, medical evacuations, aerial movements and other operational and logistical support to Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve. CJTF-OIR is the global coalition to defeat Daesh in Iraq and Syria.
| Date Taken: | 12.12.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 12.14.2017 08:35 |
| Story ID: | 258428 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 99 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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