RCT-6 Marines train for combat first aid

Photo By Gunnery Sgt. Robert Storm | During the Combat Lifesaver Course, aboard Forward Operating Base Delaram II, March 7-9, Navy Corpsmen teach Marines of Regimental Combat Team 6 medical procedures such as inserting nasopharyngeal airways. NPA’s are 4-5 inch tubes that are inserted through one nostril to create an air passage. The tube is then inserted through the nose after being well lubricated and advanced completely allowing the patient to breathe. Lance Cpl. David Johnston, 20, radio operator, from Pittsburgh, Pa., explains, “That was not fun.”  

FORWARD OPERATING BASE DELARAM II, AFGHANISTAN

03.09.2012

Story by Staff Sgt. Robert Storm 

II Marine Expeditionary Force   

FORWARD OPERATING BASE DELARAM II, Afghanistan - Marines are known as warriors. They train with near religious zeal to confront, close with and engage the enemy. However, when someone is injured, the Marines from Regimental Combat Team 6 aboard Camp Delaram II are prepared to help by taking the Combat Lifesavers Course.

Wounds sustained by Marines and sailors operating in rugged environments require quick and skilled intervention to increase the chances of survival. The CLC gives the foundation of advanced first aid for the delivery in unconventional environments.

The course gives the Marines a more thorough knowledge of first aid by building on what they’ve received in boot camp or their occupational school. It is given to Marines of any job so that they can perform first aid aside from their primary mission. They can assist the corpsman in providing care, and in the event of mass casualties, they can provide advanced first aid on their own. The course consists of PowerPoint instruction and hands-on practical training. There is a written test and practical evaluation. After completing the course, the Marines receive a certificate, which is valid for one year.

“The goal is to get them comfortable with all the equipment and techniques of first aid,” Petty Officer 2nd Class Antonio Saenz said, 27, corpsman, from Chaparral, N.M. “We want them to know the proper use of the equipment and its limitations. That way if we can’t get there or if it’s a mass casualty situation they can keep the patient alive until better trained personnel can take over.”

During the course, the corpsman train the Marines in lifesaving techniques for bleeding control and tourniquets, inserting chest tubes, use of pressure bandages, care for shock, treating heat and burn casualties, the application of splinting techniques and the assessment and evacuation of casualties.

“The class is very informative, it gives great insight into the type of medical care used on the battlefield,” Sgt. Michael Alley said, 24, air traffic control, from Church Hill, Tenn. “The corpsmen that were teaching us were helpful, showing us that one way isn’t the only way. They taught us what to do in multiple scenarios.”

With the training, units suffering casualties on the battlefield are able to respond with measures that give the best care possible within the tactical environment.

“We use a lot of personnel experiences in the training,” Saenz said. “Stuff that has actually happened out here – that way when something unusual or unforeseen hits them, they can deal with it. They can either do it themselves or at least let a doc know what’s going on.”

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Editor’s note: Forward Operating Base Delaram II currently houses Regimental Combat Team 6 in 1st Marine Division (Forward), which heads Task Force Leatherneck. The task force serves as the ground combat element of Regional Command (Southwest) and works in partnership with the Afghan National Security Force and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to conduct counterinsurgency operations. The unit is dedicated to securing the Afghan people, defeating insurgent forces, and enabling ANSF assumption of security responsibilities within its area of operations in order to support the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance.

• Date Taken: 03.09.2012
• Date Posted: 03.09.2012 01:20
• Story ID: 84975
• Location: FORWARD OPERATING BASE DELARAM II, AF