Courtesy Photo | SOUTHWEST ASIA (September 6, 2006) --- Spc. Ruiben Rivera, 343rd Medical Company,...... read more read more
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by Spc. Debrah A. Robertson
40th PAD
SOUTHWEST ASIA (Sept. 6, 2006) --- In a well-lit classroom, Kuwait National Guard fire-fighters sit in small school desks and listen attentively as a fellow Soldier discusses methods of nasal airway techniques. Although an interpreter is needed for the Arabic-speaking soldiers to understand the English-speaking Soldier, when U.S. Army Sgt. Leonardo Mijares puts a nasal pharyngeal airway into his nose, no translation is needed. The whole group laughs. Friendship and camaraderie transcend language barriers.
Soldiers of the 343rd Ground Ambulance Company, 1st Medical Brigade have been working with the Kuwait National Guard since December as part of the U.S. Army Central theater security cooperation mission, said Capt. Daniel Reynolds, USARCENT Surgeon Medical Operations officer.
Working together, the KNG and the U.S. Army are building on a friendship between their two nations that began years ago.
"This is what it's about," said Capt. Miguel Marcos, commander of the 343rd GA Company. It's not just exchanging ideas, it's building a relationship.
In addition to building a working relationship between the two nations, the sessions offer a chance to swap ideas with the KNG, said Reynolds.
Fire-fighters are the first responders to accident scenes, said Marcos. The two armies work together to determine the best ways to handle what the KNG may encounter at the scene.
The communication between the armies is geared on how Soldiers are dying on the battlefield," said Mijares, 343rd assistant training noncommissioned officer. They are able to treat their Soldiers and ours.
"If a problem or situation is life-threatening," said Maj. Talla Allqadiri, commander of the KNG Fire Brigade, "we use what we have learned to minimize injury or death."
The 343rd and KNG practice techniques on how to treat breathing difficulties, perform basic first aid and how to remove the injured from the scene of an accident, he continued. The knowledge exchanged helps all participants get a broader view of the most current first responder techniques.
The unit has worked with 17 KNG units in medical technique discussions since December, but this is the first fire-fighter unit they have worked with, said Gene Pepper, who works for Military Professional Resource Incorporated.
The gathering of the two armies originally started with a trading of ideas on Tactical Combat Casualty Care with the KNG Medical Brigade, said Mijares. He continued by saying the success of initial exchanges paved the way for future discussions.
Working together, the two units are building a bridge across language barriers, said Marcos.
"They are developing a relationship," said Talal Alawadi, an interpreter-translator with MPRI who interprets for the two units during the training.
It's surprising there are so many similarities between the two nations, said Reynolds. "Some things are different, but there are many more things that are similar. It's reassuring."
"This was the first time the unit has worked with the U.S. Army," said Allqadiri. "[Americans] are friendlier than their image in the movies."
"I was amazed at how funny they are," said Sgt. Saeed Almae, of the KNG Fire Brigade, through a translator. "They are nice and well-educated. They know what they're talking about and they are experienced [in their jobs]."
"We are hoping the U.S. Army understands the true culture of Kuwait," said Almae. "We want there to be respect between the cultures. No misunderstandings. We want the American people to see the real Kuwait."
U.S. Army understands the Kuwaitis are knowledgeable, educated and they work well and interact with other nations, said Alawadi.
"You can't believe everything you see on TV," said Mijares. "They are a friendly, family-oriented culture. I've enjoyed [working with] them and I can't wait to go home and show everyone that not everything on TV is true.
"I had a small amount of exposure to [Kuwaitis] in OIF I, but with this deployment it's helped to concrete the fact that the Kuwaitis are glad we are here and are anxious to learn from [one another]," he said.
Working together, the two groups continue to build a relationship between their nations, said Sgt. 1st Class David Crowley, 343rd noncommissioned officer.
| Date Taken: | 09.06.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 09.08.2006 13:34 |
| Story ID: | 7680 |
| Location: | (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION) |
| Web Views: | 232 |
| Downloads: | 49 |
This work, Building relationships: ARCENT, Kuwait soldiers practice medical techniques, by SPC Deborah Ledesma, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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