Courtesy Photo | Master Sgt. Willie Hines (right), a Goldsboro, N.C. native and personnel staff...... read more read more
By Staff Sgt. Matt Scotten
INDIANAPOLIS — Several Task Force Medical soldiers assigned to Kosovo Force 14, as well as observer-controllers from 2nd Battalion, 337th Regiment, 205th Infantry Brigade traveled from Camp Atterbury Joint Maneuver Training Center to St. Vincent Hospital, Feb. 7-8, to attend Basic Life Support and Advanced Cardiac Life Support classes taught by hospital staff. They are the first Kosovo Force soldiers to ever receive medical training at a civilian hospital.
Historically, most units deploying from Camp Atterbury go through the Combat Lifesaver course before deploying. The course is designed to teach soldiers basic battlefield techniques to treat combat wounds in the field. Soldiers with Task Force Medical, of KFOR14 are primarily combat medics who are already very familiar with CLS skills. The Basic Life Support class, in contrast, involves medical skills that are typically used by civilian healthcare professionals in a medical setting as opposed to the battlefield.
“When these guys deploy to Kosovo, they are going to be working in a hospital environment,” said Master Sgt Gary T. Cook, Westchester, Ohio native and CLS non-commissioned officer in charge for 2nd Battalion, 337th Regiment, 205th Infantry Brigade at Camp Atterbury. “With the skills that they learn at St. Vincent, they will be better able to understand what help the doctors need and what to do to help them.”
Kay Maddox, a registered nurse and instructor for the BLS course at St. Vincent, has been teaching medical skills on a volunteer basis to police, fire and military organizations for 20 years at various locations. For Maddox, it isn’t just a job, but a way of giving back to the nation’s defenders for their many sacrifices.
“My son is a captain in the Army. He now teaches these same skills to other soldiers at Fort Knox,” said Maddox. “To me it’s very personal. Whatever I can do to touch a soldier’s life; I am so indebted to them.”
Maddox teaches soldiers how to administer cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, assist people who are choking, use various airway devices, and how to use an automated electronic defibrillator.
According to Cook, ambulance medics will be able to use these skills to treat patients sooner when they deploy because they will be certified to use the skills Maddox has taught them. In fact, the BLS course gives the soldiers a CPR certification from the American Heart Association that will be valid for up to two years.
“This is a really thorough class,” said Sgt. Jennifer A. Moore, a Bloomington, Ind. native and combat medic with 2nd Battalion, 337th Regiment, 205th Infantry Brigade responsible for validating training for Task Force Medical soldiers. “These guys are very prepared, and I look forward to seeing them come home in a year after a successful deployment.”
Pfc. Brittany C. Cruickshank, an Albuquerque, N.M. native and ground ambulance medic with Task Force Medical said she is looking forward to her upcoming deployment to Kosovo.
“I think I am going to get a lot of really great experience out of this deployment,” said Cruickshank. “I feel like we’ve been really well-prepared for our mission. It is going to be quite an adventure.”
| Date Taken: | 02.08.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 02.08.2011 16:50 |
| Story ID: | 65036 |
| Location: | INDIANAPOLIS, IN, US |
| Web Views: | 107 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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