Iraqi instructors teach basic medical course

Courtesy Photo | A member of the 4th Region Department of Border Enforcement practices intravenous infusion techniques at the Basic Medical Course. (Photo by Sgt. Dasilma)  

BASRA, IRAQ

10.30.2010

Courtesy Story

3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division

By Sgt. David Dasilma

BASRA, Iraq—Moving further into Operation New Dawn, Iraqi security forces continue to demonstrate they are capable of training and teaching, with limited U.S. assistance.

At the Shaiba Training Center in Basra, this is precisely what is taking place, as the 14th Iraqi Army Division recently conducted a basic medical course for the 4th Region Department of Border Enforcement.

Lt. Col. Andrew Barr; First Infantry Division surgeon, Sgt. Maj. Bryan Barren; 1st Inf. Div. Chief Medical sergeant, and 4th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment Stability Transition Team members, Lt. Col. Michael Hatmaker and Maj. Anthony Parker, “brokered” a historic agreement to include DBE students into the Iraqi Army Basic Medical Course.

During the course, students learn important skills ranging from initiating intravenous infusions to preventative medicine techniques. Most importantly, there is a strong focus on trauma management and employment of the tactical combat casualty care skills the Iraqi Army adopted from U.S. forces. The principles of TC3 skills, as they’re commonly called, have been crucial in saving U.S. and Iraqi lives, and the acquired skills can be taught to non-medical personnel—elevating their status to combat lifesavers.

Chief Warrant Officer Adel Kharbegt, the lead instructor for the 14th IA, said, “I purposely leave mannequin parts in different areas of the room. When some of the students come in for the first day of class, they laugh at a mannequin arm here and a mannequin leg over there. I then tell them that in battle, this is for real. There will be extreme injuries and it is the medic’s job to treat the soldiers and save their lives. This speech really keeps them focused on that throughout the course.”

After the presentation of new textbooks to the DBE students, Maj. Anwar, the course training supervisor said, “The curriculum is detailed and structured so that skills can be built on top of each other.”

“After seeing the training first hand, I’m impressed. The DBE students are focused and motivated and the Iraqi Army instructors are enthusiastic. What we’re witnessing is our past training of Iraqi forces being passed on between their services and ranks,” said Sgt. 1st Class Timothy Patrick, senior medical sergeant, 4th Sqdn., 10th Cav. Reg.

The skills taught at the course will allow the DBE students to fill the roles of combat medic, medical staff, and unit medical advisors.

“We aim to ensure that every student is proficient in their learned skills,” said 1st Lt. Yahia, the deputy training supervisor, 14th IA Division.

The course itself helps build rapport between the IA and DBE, encouraging cohesion while developing competent medics. What makes this training unique is the very limited role by U.S. forces, said Maj. Norberto Menendez, executive officer, 4th Sqdn., 10th Cav. Reg.

Historically, U.S. forces have been responsible for the actual instruction of training, using skilled instructors and interpreters to deliver successful medical training. This course currently uses no U.S. instructors and is solely taught by Iraqi army medical personnel. Though 4th Sqdn., 10th Cav. Reg. remains prepared to assist in the training if called upon, the STT advisors have only been administratively involved thus far.

“I have a lot of medical training, but I’ve never done anything like this before. You can never stop learning and I’m taking this course in order to teach its skills within the DBE. I’m thankful that the [Iraqi] Army decided to do this for us,” said Hsham Ahmed, senior DBE medical staff member with 12 years medical training,

“The students are very good. We want them to succeed. It’s not a matter of ‘DBE students’ or ‘IA students’—we are all one team here,” said Col. Jameal, Shaiba Training Center commandant.

• Date Taken: 10.30.2010
• Date Posted: 10.30.2010 05:30
• Story ID: 59115
• Location: BASRA, IQ