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NAKHON RATCHASIMA, Kingdom of Thailand –Royal Thai Air Force doctors, nurse’s aides and three U.S. Navy corpsmen conduct training in tactical combat casualty care Feb.12 at Wing One RTAF Base, Nakhon Ratchisma, Kingdom of Thailand, during exercise Cobra Gold 2013.
This type of casualty care training was the first of its kind between the RTAF and U.S. Navy medical personnel, who are with Marine Aircraft Groups 12 and 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force.
"We don't have a battlefield and aren't typically involved in wars," said Thai Pilot Officer Napaon Chantarapitak, a doctor at Wing One. "Even though we fall under Wing One, we've never really had this training before. This is a whole new experience for us."
Each of the three corpsmen took turns instructing the class of nearly 20 students and demonstrating procedures to solidify the lessons presented.
"(The tactical combat casualty care) is based on three principles: treat the casualty, prevent further injury, and complete the mission," said U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Jarvis Broom, a corpsman with Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 224, MAG-12. "It's based off the same principles of the Marine combat lifesaver's course. Stop the bleeding, start the breathing, check for respiration of blood and a head-to-toe examination of the patient."
In addition to demonstrating techniques, the corpsmen passed around first aid gear so the Thai medical personnel could familiarize themselves with the supplies used when conducting casualty care in the field. Among the gear was a first access for shock and trauma kit, otherwise known as a FAST 1, which is used if a patient's skin is badly damaged or there are missing limbs and an IV cannot be administered. The system is essential when applying casualty care and allows the corpsman to hydrate patients through their bone marrow.
"We don't always get the newest technologies and treatments," said Chantarapitak. "Cobra Gold gives us a better knowledge and understanding of new equipment and trends in medicine."
Although the techniques and practices used in Thailand may differ from U.S. military procedures, Thailand is far ahead of many countries in medicine.
"Thailand has top-notch medical treatment facilities here," said Broom. "To be over here and see the capabilities they have is truly amazing. We're here to combine our knowledge and become one. While we are teaching, we are—at the same time—learning a lot from them."
The exchange of knowledge and training exemplified the true spirit of CG 13 and provided another opportunity for Thailand and the U.S. to demonstrate their continued cooperation and enduring commitment to regional partners.
"Just being here and working side-by-side builds camaraderie," said Broom. "We're sharing knowledge on how to save lives and maintain a high rate of survivability for those who have sustained serious injuries in combat. By sharing our medical knowledge, we've come to completely trust each other. It's a true team."
The casualty care training also allowed Thailand and the U.S. an opportunity to exercise common solutions to medical challenges.
"By getting this training, we have an opportunity to understand each others' treatments and lifesaving techniques," said Chantarapitak. "This training gives us the chance to pass this knowledge on and puts us on an even plain where we all use the same approach when it comes to treatment and medicine."
CG 13, the largest multinational exercise in the Asia-Pacific region, includes humanitarian and civic assistance projects, a staff exercise and field training exercises. Joint and multinational training is vital to maintaining the readiness and interoperability of all participating military forces.
| Date Taken: | 02.12.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 02.15.2013 07:59 |
| Story ID: | 102069 |
| Location: | NAKHON RATCHASIMA, TH |
| Web Views: | 316 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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