Story and photos by Maj. Ellis Gales Jr., 3rd HBCT, Public Affairs
FORT BENNING, Ga. - The scene at Fort Benning resembled an episode of “M*A*S*H”, Nov. 2, with helicopters flying and Army medics practicing medical procedures in front of television cameras.
The men and women in uniform weren’t actors, the soldiers of 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, were showcasing their skills for the local media during a mass casualty training exercise.
The scenario, part of 3rd Brigade’s month-long Hammer Focus exercise, began with simulated artillery rounds impacting the 203rd Brigade Support Battalion’s brigade support area (camp/base). The attack proved (turned out) to be a coordinated attack as a group of insurgents also attacked from outside the perimeter.
As security forces repelled the attack, Company C, 203rd BSB, also known as Charlie MED went to work triaging the wounded and treating patients. Medical personnel placed some of the wounded on stretchers outside and took others inside a medical tent.
“You got trauma tables set up and we have several teams operating simultaneously. It gets a little crazy, gets a little hectic,” said Pfc. Jack Marsh.
Medics identified three soldiers with injuries serious enough to warrant air evacuation; two were amputees and the third with a serious head wound. Charlie MED’s evacuation platoon loaded the patients in medical Humvees and security gun trucks escorted the vehicles to a nearby helicopter landing zone. A second escorted medical Humvee carrying three more patients arrived at the landing zone shortly afterward.
Minutes later a Black Hawk bearing the red cross appeared over the trees and a member of the ground security force threw a green smoke grenade signaling the pilot where to land.
As the chopper touched down the medical crew transported the wounded, one by one, to the helicopter. The security forces maintained a perimeter to thwart potential attacks as the medics carried patients on the litters.
The Black Hawk took off soon after the medical crew loaded the patients and ground evacuation crew returned to the brigade support area.
Maj. Joe Lim, 203rd BSB’s executive officer, explained the importance of keeping track of all patients and their injuries among the chaotic conditions of a mass casualty scenario. He said keeping an accurate log of patients’ first and last name, along with their injury is a very important piece in the casualty evacuation plan.
Media on the scene talked to Charlie MED’s commander Capt. Sean Colley about the scenario and the importance the medical evacuation training.
“I can't think of anything more serious than saving U.S. soldiers lives,” Said Colley.
| Date Taken: | 11.02.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 11.07.2011 12:47 |
| Story ID: | 79676 |
| Location: | FORT BENNING, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 38 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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