Philippines, US team up in lifesaving medical training for Balikatan

Photo By Matthew McGovern | Philippine and U.S. Airmen share Boodle, a Filipino-style lunch consisting of rice, fish and chicken, April 20, at the conclusion of a three-day bilateral basic lifesaving training. During Exercise Balikatan 2012, combined air crews, pararescuemen and medical technicians from the U.S. and Philippine Air Force shared medical knowledge including self-aid, buddy care, CPR techniques and mass casualty training. U.S. Airmen with backgrounds in life support, survival evasion resistance escape and combat rescue also shared their knowledge by briefing various aspects of their craft to Philippine service members. Balikatan is an annual Republic of the Philippines-U.S. exercise focusing on field training, humanitarian assistance and a command post exercise. The exercise increases our armed forces’ ability to respond quickly and work together efficiently to provide relief and assistance in the event of natural disasters and other crises.  

CLARK AIR BASE, PHILIPPINES

04.20.2012

Story by Tech. Sgt. Matthew McGovern 

Exercise Balikatan       

CLARK AIR BASE, Philippines – Philippine and U.S. service members began Exercise Balikatan 2012 with three days of basic lifesaving skills training here, from August 16-18.

Combined air crews, pararescuemen and medical technicians shared their medical knowledge including self-aid buddy care, CPR techniques and mass casualty training. U.S. Airmen with backgrounds in life support, survival evasion resistance escape, and combat rescue, also shared their knowledge by briefing various aspects of their craft to Philippine service members.

“[The Filipino Airmen] are very knowledgeable and well rounded,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Rashelle Young, a medical technician from the 31st Rescue Squadron. “Some of them are coming here on their own time and not getting paid to be here; so I know they really want the opportunity to learn.”

After classroom discussions and training, the Philippine and U.S. Air Forces moved out of the classroom to train aircraft litter loading procedures, medical extractions from structures and medical field assessments.

“I can now take this training back with me to show to my Air Force Reserve community,” said Philippine Air Force Reserve Master Sgt. Richard Almeida, the non-commissioned officer in charge of operations from the 1st Air Wing Reserve. “We can teach our air reserve for example, the alert signals for a typhoon, how to prepare an emergency kit, and the U.S. forces gave us a good idea of the proper equipment to purchase for emergencies.”

Floods here can reach as high as 20 feet and through this risk management awareness and knowledge exchange, we can help save lives, he added.

According to U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. David R. St. Onge, the 13th Air Expeditionary Group commander, the training from BK12 is a great opportunity for U.S. service members to learn from the environment in the Philippines.

“The U.S. is worldwide-deployable, but we still have to understand the local environment so we need those Philippine subject matter experts,” said St. Onge. “We have to check the ego at the door and really listen to them and ask them if our tactics will work here.”

St. Onge said that trust and respect has been built between the Philippines and U.S. through the years, “they aren’t afraid to tell us what parts of our training don’t work in their environment. Now, subject matter experts from both countries can have a discussion to resolve humanitarian response issues.”

In addition to medical training during the exercise, the combined service members are scheduled to provide medical, dental and veterinary care, as well as to construct and repair schools and other infrastructure in communities most in need of assistance.

• Date Taken: 04.20.2012
• Date Posted: 04.22.2012 23:54
• Story ID: 87149
• Location: CLARK AIR BASE, PH