Photo By Master Sgt. George M Winters Jr | Capt Lisa Postell assists Spc. Allen during a patient's evaluation. (Photo by Army...... read more read more
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Story by Cpt Lyn Graves
Photos by SSG Mike Winters
133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
KIRKUK, Iraq (Jan 31, 2006) " Combat medics are able to keep Soldiers in the fight longer by using evolved methods of medical treatment fostered by the Army" recent transformation.
Soldiers with Charlie Company, 426th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, operate the Ivory Combat Clinic on FOB Warrior near Kirkuk, Iraq. The clinic is a level 2 treatment facility and has dental treatments, a lab, and an X-Ray machine. The level 2 designation signifies a mid-grade medical facility.
"We've transformed into a much better level 2 facility, better able to react to a greater variety of needs and we can better support the war fighter and help them stay in the fight longer," said Company Commander Capt. Chris Sloan, a Decatur, Ala., native.
"The army transformation has allowed us to evolve and get more modern assets and do things in a more advanced way, like better equipment, more up-to-date training and skills, such as preventive medicine," explained Sloan. "Medicine is always evolving; treatments and techniques improve; drugs are more effective and transportation improvements have made long wait times less common."
One improvement has been the Eagle First Responder training that Charlie Company teaches monthly to Soldiers on FOB Warrior. EFR training focuses on solving the problems of immediate trauma on the field.
"This training took the Combat Lifesaver course and modernized the treatments taught and built upon lessons learned from the field, primarily from Army Rangers," said Capt. Lisa Postell, of Johnstown, Penn., who supervises the EFR training.
"EFR training has evolved from the learning they get on the battlefield," explains Postell. The most notable change from CLS training is the increased use of the tourniquet.
"CLS was all about the airways, keeping the injured soldier breathing. But EFR focuses more on stopping the bleeding," said Spc. Sean Cannon from Kent, Ohio, who assists with teaching the classes.
"EFR teaches the soldier to keep his buddy alive until he can get help from the medics," explains Cannon.
Helping to keep Soldiers alive is not the only way the medical company works to improve the well-being of service members stationed here. Sloan cites an increased focus on the importance of field sanitation, preventive medications and treatment, and mental health wellness focusing on combat stress and early intervention.
Additionally, the company now has a physical therapist on staff.
"The addition of the physical therapist has been great, has made a huge impact on Soldiers morale," said Sloan.
"If someone gets a sore shoulder or knee, because of the work Soldiers do, then he can go to them and get some treatment or exercises and can feel better and do his job better. Preventive medicine and the increased attention to wellness was brought down to the brigade level by the Army transformation. This wellness assessment has increased our quality of life in the field," Sloan said.
Increasing a medical presence in the field has also been a focus of Charlie Med. Combat medics are routinely embedded with Combat Logistics Patrols and even with a gun truck platoon.
SGT Joseph Spiers, a Wichita, Kan. native, is one of the medics embedded with the gun truck platoon.
"Having the medics in the gun truck platoon makes them feel better because we are right there and can respond quickly if something bad happens," said Spiers.
| Date Taken: | 02.03.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 02.03.2006 09:52 |
| Story ID: | 5301 |
| Location: | KIRKUK, IQ |
| Web Views: | 209 |
| Downloads: | 25 |
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