Stryker Brigade aims for more combat lifesavers

1st Brigade, 11th Airborne Division
Story by Sgt. Michael Blalack

Date: 03.11.2013
Posted: 03.11.2013 21:12
News ID: 103287
Stryker Brigade aims for more combat lifesavers

FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska - The 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, is making a push to qualify combat lifesavers to increase the brigade's medical readiness.

According to the brigade's medical staff the U.S. Army Alaska's has a minimum standard of 75 percent of the unit being qualified combat lifesavers. Due to certifications expiring during the recent deployment to Afghanistan and the influx of new soldiers to Fort Wainwright, 1/25th is working to certify more soldiers in CLS.

Fort Wainwright's Medical Simulation Training Center supports resident units and trains up to 30 soldiers a week in CLS. To further increase the number of CLS qualified soldiers within the 1/25th, each battalion is holding additional classes.

"There's only two options for CLS training," according to Sgt. First Class Jeramie Laughlin, noncommissioned officer in charge of the Brigade Surgeon's Office. "Either go through the training at the MSTC, or the battalions can conduct the training themselves in accordance with the Army Institute of Professional Development."

Staff Sgt. Brad Averett, senior medic for the Brigade Troops Battalion has been overseeing two classes a month to certify additional combat lifesavers.

"Another advantage to conducting these classes is that we get to train our medics as well," Averett said. "Teaching a CLS class is a requirement for a medic and we have a lot of new ones in the brigade."

The classes consist of basic casualty first aid and care under fire. This includes applying tourniquets, chest seals, managing an airway, splinting broken limbs, litter carries, and calling a nine-line MEDEVAC request.

"This class was significantly more in-depth than what we received in basic training," Pfc. Nicholas Wales, a human resource specialist for Brigade Headquarters, 1-25th said. "It's great knowing that I could confidently perform first aid if needed, and that there are plenty of other people around who have received this same training should I ever need it."