By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Caitlin Conroy
U.S. 6th Fleet Public Affairs

ODESSA, Ukraine – Exercise Sea Breeze 2012 medical staff visited the Military Medical Clinical Center of the Southern Region of Ukraine in Odessa for an educational opportunity, July 11.

Capt. Rom Stevens, reserve deputy surgeon, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet, spoke about a variety of topics and took time to answer questions from the audience.

“There was a Ukrainian doctor in the audience who had served in Afghanistan with the Soviet army in the 1980s,” said Stevens.

“It was very interesting talking to him about the evolution of how wounds were treated before improvised explosive device injuries became prevalent.”

Topics discussed were centered around NATO countries providing trauma care in Afghanistan and included emergency surgery, emergency resuscitation, massive blood transfusion, medical evacuation by helicopter, and aero-medical evacuation from a trauma center in Afghanistan to Landstuhl Army Regional Medical Center in Germany.

“The main point was to help educate Ukrainian military doctors about the organization and delivery of trauma care by NATO medical forces currently in Afghanistan,” said Stevens.

Ukrainian navy Col. Igor Zaraysky, senior doctor for the Ukrainian Naval Infantry and a participant in SB12, also participated in the lecture.

“I found the lecture to be very interesting,” said Zaraysky. “We talked about the different levels of medical care and equipment, how to care for the injured and how to interact with multinational medical personnel serving together in the same hospital.”

SB12, co-hosted by the Ukrainian and U.S. navies, aims to improve maritime safety, security and stability engagements in the Black Sea by enhancing the capabilities of Partnership for Peace and Black Sea regional maritime security forces.

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