Sailors bound to Afghanistan train CLS at Bliss

Photo By Lt. Col. Deanna Bague | Observer controller/trainers from the 3-360th Training Support Battalion and Sailors from Navy Guard Group 11 evacuate mock casualties during a combat life saver training exercise at McGregor Range, N.M.  

FORT BLISS, TX, UNITED STATES

02.24.2010

Story by Maj. Deanna Bague 

Fort Bliss Public Affairs Office

MCGREGOR RANGE, N.M. — Close to 200 Sailors assigned to Navy Guard Group 11 are training here in preparation for deployment to Afghanistan.

One of the instruction blocks Sailors said they believe is most beneficial is the combat life saver course, which replicates the combat environment in the theater of operations.

"It's good training," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Thomas McDonald, a Navy Guard Group 11 Sailor. "It's fairly realistic with the explosions and the background noise. They dress the casualties with [realistic-looking injuries] — it's pretty decent. It prepares us for what we may see over there."

Staff Sgt. Michael Franka, an observer controller/trainer from the 3-360th Training Support Battalion, 5th Armored Brigade, underwent training with the Sailors to obtain his CLS certification. He said the CLS training lane required everyone to move tactically into an area, secure it and rescue mock casualties from a simulated burning helicopter.

"It's pretty exciting," said Franka. "I'm thinking of it as — 'I've got to get these guys out of here as fast as possible or they're going to die.' It's really an eye opener."

Staff Sgt. Nelli Reuvers, a medic and assistant instructor with the 3-360th TSB, said the purpose of using pyrotechnics and smoke was to encourage the Sailors to think and react accordingly as they would in the battlefield.

Reuvers said the Sailors received four days of instruction in which they learned how to control bleeding using emergency trauma bandages, combat application and improvised tourniquets. Other skills the Sailors acquired included caring for chest wounds and how to evacuate injured personnel to remove them from harm's way.

"Without them knowing theses skills they won't be able to save lives," said Reuvers. "With the help of combat life savers, it helps take care of other Soldiers. If a medic is not around, those guys help us out as combat life savers until we can get there with a higher level of medical treatment."

• Date Taken: 02.24.2010
• Date Posted: 03.04.2010 20:17
• Story ID: 46168
• Location: FORT BLISS, TX, US