Photo By Sgt. 1st Class James Wilt | Spc. Kenneth M. Crabtree, an infantryman attached to the 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne...... read more read more
Subscribe
Pfc. James Wilt
82nd Airborne Division Public Affairs Office
Task Force White Falcon
TALL AFAR, Iraq -- Through out history, infantrymen have been depicted as steely-eyed killers locked in combat, fighting to injure or kill the enemy.
The reality of the matter is that not all members of the infantry are out on the front lines battling those who would do them harm.
Spc. Jason Scott and Spc. Kenneth M. Crabtree, both infantrymen with the 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, have moved from the traditional role of the infantry to work as impromptu medics in the battalion aid station here.
The unit was short seven personnel just prior to their current deployment to Iraq due to people changing duty stations or leaving the army. To offset the difference, Crabtree and Scott were placed into the unit, said Sgt 1st Class Tyson E. Bubnar, the top noncommissioned officer in the battalion's medical platoon.
Crabtree, a native of Cincinnati, said he was assigned to the unit as a driver and Scott, a native of Anderson, S.C., said he was assigned to the unit as a gunner but once at the aid station, they found out their responsibilities were more than just driving and gunning.
"I think I've only driven once actually," Crabtree said.
The infantryman arrived at the aid station two weeks before they deployed. The medics instantly began retraining them on basic combat lifesaver skills, Bubnar said.
CLS is advanced first aid.
"With CLS training already, it was like having two brand new medics who just needed to be trained at the unit level," said Sgt. Benjamin Jobes, a combat medic working at the aid station.
After the new students were trained on the basics, the medical staff soon moved on to teaching them more advanced skills up until the day they left, Bubnar said.
Jobes and Bubnar both sacrificed their own bodies while training Crabtree and Scott, said Maj. Ben Solomon, the battalion surgeon.
They allowed the two "11 Bravos" to practice medical procedures on them such as starting IVs and closing wounds with staples.
Once in country, the medical staff at the aid station continued to teach the two men by having them actively participate in any medical procedure the medics were performing, Bubnar said.
"They were emerged in a crash course of the 91 Whiskey medic course," said Cpt. Michael E. Franco, the battalion physician's assistant.
The new found skills the battle hardened infantryman acquired were put to the test during a mass casualty situation.
A suicide bomber attacked a large group of people wounding over thirty.
With two medics from an infantry unit already triaging the wounded and giving aid, Crabtree said he and several of the medics from the aid station arrived at the scene
and began helping the wounded.
"I was treating patients, doing the basicsâ?¦getting them stabile enough to ride from the [scene] to the [aid station,]" Crabtree said.
They used their skills to help the people whose wounds were not critical which allowed for the more experienced medics to concentrate on the seriously injured people, Bubnar said.
Once Crabtree arrived back at the aid station, he said both he and Scott continued to help treat the injured civilians by evaluating their conditions for the senior medical staff, treating what wounds they could and by helping the injured on to helicopters for evacuation.
As members of the aid station, Crabtree and Scott helped save 29 lives.
"They were tried and tested on the mass cal," Bubnar said.
As far as the medical staff at the aid station is concerned, they passed with flying colors.
"Both of them have shown incredible ability. They may have been trained as CLS, but both of them have stepped up to the level of medics as far as treatment", said Daniel R. Eraso, a combat medic.
"The two 11 Bravos that we have are absolutely phenomenal," Franco said.
"Honestly they're probably as qualified as we are, we fully expect them to treat
trauma," Eraso said.
He went on to say, "They're not really limited right now as far as their capabilities. They are doing absolutely incredible work."
After two months of working as a medic, Crabtree said he is considering a career change.
"Were trying to pull him away from the dark side to the land of the medics," said Bubnar who is aiding Crabtree in his attempt to become a full time medic.
"If it was in my power I would make them medics now on the spot," Franco said.
Crabtree will continue his medical education while deployed in hopes of changing his military occupational specialty upon his return to the States.
Scott, who was injured in a non-combat related accident, has returned to the United States to recover after reenlisting in the hospital.
The medics now have new student, Pfc. Michael Edwards, who was a cook but will soon be working as a combat medic.
| Date Taken: | 11.07.2005 |
| Date Posted: | 11.07.2005 14:54 |
| Story ID: | 3629 |
| Location: | TAL AFAR, IQ |
| Web Views: | 416 |
| Downloads: | 166 |
This work, Impromptu medics, by SFC James Wilt, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
