Iraqi Army medics, from students to instructors

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Jason Douglas | Iraqi soldiers from the 15th Iraqi Army Brigade are evaluated on the proper procedures for identifying and caring for a chest wound by Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, during a week-long medical train-the-trainer course at Forward Operating Base McHenry, Kirkuk, Iraq, March 22 to 26. The course allows Iraqi soldiers to take skills they learned and develop combat medical care programs to train other IA soldiers.  

KIRKUK, IRAQ

04.20.2009

Story by Staff Sgt. Jason Douglas 

2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs

FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARRIOR, Kirkuk, Iraq — Coalition forces in Northern Iraq conducted medical trauma and sustainment training in Hawijah with the goal of developing a train-the-trainer program for the Iraqi army.

Medics of the 15th IA Brigade trained with U.S. Army medics from 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, at Forward Operating Base McHenry, Kirkuk province, from March 22 to 26.

The training was designed to develop the skills of the students so they can give the training to other Iraqi soldiers, according to 1st Lt. Sean Spencer, a medical platoon leader with 8th Cav. Regt.

The training was equivalent to the U.S. Army combat lifesaver course and tactical combat casualty care, which includes classroom instruction and practical exercises on medical tasks like properly bandaging a wound, treating patients for shock, fractures, and administering intravenous fluids.

"During the training, the IA medics and infantrymen were involved at all levels," said Spencer.

The Iraqi soldiers progressed from asking questions to answering questions, from being students to being instructors, and from being evaluated while undergoing trauma lanes to establishing and running trauma lanes.

"This training offered every IA soldier involved the ability and confidence to assess and treat soldiers on the battlefield," said Spencer.

Overall, 21 Iraqi soldiers attended the one-week course and graduated with the knowledge to establish their own medical training programs.

"The IA soldiers who attended the course can take this knowledge back and create programs to better establish a medical course for their units," said Spencer. "This program is intended to train the trainers."

• Date Taken: 04.20.2009
• Date Posted: 04.20.2009 20:12
• Story ID: 32627
• Location: KIRKUK, IQ