121st Combat Support Hospital tests mettle during mass casualty exercise

Photo By Sgt. Steven Reeves | U.S. medical personnel assigned to the 121st Combat Support Hospital, 65th Medical Brigade transport a Soldier with a simulated injury during a mass casualty exercise in support of Ulchi Freedom Guardian 2013 at Yongsan Garrison in Seoul, South Korea, Aug. 25, 2013. Ulchi Freedom Guardian is an annual joint/combined command post exercise designed to improve the ability of South Korea to defend itself. Ulchi Freedom Guardian was also designed to simulate real conditions in a field hospital in order to train medical personnel to deal with large influxes of wounded Soldiers that could occur in combat. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Steven Reeves/Released)  

26, SOUTH KOREA

08.25.2013

Story by Sgt. Steven Reeves 

314th Theater Public Affairs Support Element

RODRIGUEZ RANGE, Republic of Korea– Though the casualties began streaming into the 121st Combat Support Hospital with little warning, the medical personnel were quick to evaluate the injured and get the most critical cases into surgery.

In a scene that Sgt. Christopher Mitchell described as “controlled chaos,” emergency medical technicians, nurses and doctors worked together in a synchronized response to a helicopter crash that pushed the capabilities of the 121st CSH to its limits.

“Because I normally work in a health clinic, this isn’t something I normally get to do on a daily basis,” said Mitchell, a health care specialist from Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii who was augmenting the 121st CSH. “This definitely helps to knock the cobwebs off of my quick-response skills.”

Luckily, the helicopter crash never actually happened and the injuries were all simulated as part of a mass-casualty exercise held Aug. 26 in support of Ulchi Freedom Guardian (UFG) 2013.
Mitchell, a native of Valdosta, Ga., said he gets a lot of satisfaction out of knowing that he and other medical personnel would be a critical component of any military response to hostile acts against the Republic of Korea.

“Combat units can’t function without us,” Mitchell said. “This is just such a rewarding job, to be able to assist in saving someone’s life. ”

Capt. Brandi Burrowes, an emergency room nurse with the 121st CSH, said the simulated casualty event allowed the unit’s personnel to train on what they would be called to put into practice in actual combat.

“This really gives us a chance to test our people under very stressful conditions,” said Burrowes, a resident of Chevy Chase, Md. “Through our training we’ll be ready for anything that might happen in the future. It was good to do this event and see the great amount of teamwork from everyone involved.”

Burrowes said the exercise served to reinforce her commitment to, both, what she described as a calling to be a nurse and a desire to serve her country in the Army.

“I’ve never wanted to do anything else except to be a nurse,” Burrowes said. “It’s a special treat to be able to be a nurse in the Army and take care of the soldiers who defend us and defend freedom.”

• Date Taken: 08.25.2013
• Date Posted: 08.27.2013 19:29
• Story ID: 112703
• Location: 26, KR
• Hometown: ATLANTA, GA, US
• Hometown: CHEVY CHASE, MD, US
• Hometown: VALDOSTA, GA, US