Care under fire

Photo By Spc. Justin De Hoyos | A U.S. Army Soldier of 212th Combat Support Hospital, 30th Medical Brigade fires a rifle on a live fire range during multinational medic training at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, March 24, 2015. The purpose of this event is for multinational soldiers to obtain annual recertification, gain knowledge on new equipment and standards, and improve interoperability between different nations.  

HOHENFELS, BY, GERMANY

04.08.2015

Story by Sgt. Jacob Sawyer  

Joint Multinational Readiness Center

HOHENFELS, Germany -- Medical personnel from across Germany came together for multinational enhanced combat medical training at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC) in Hohenfels Training Area. JMRC's Aviation Observer Coach Trainer (OCT) team known as the "Falcons", the Bundeswehr's 472nd Logistic Battalion from Amberg, Germany, German Polizei and medics from throughout USAREUR took part in a full immersion combined medical training from the
March 23-27, 2015.

This full immersion training is incredibly realistic. The training utilized wounded veterans who had undergone amputation to play the casualties, combined with makeup artists to bring realism to the training. The make-up artists were able to simulate injuries both minor and grievous, while the training scenarios subjected the Soldiers to simulated enemy fire, artillery simulations, suicide bombers and other combat situations. Maj. Jeffrey Meinders, Falcon Team's Observer Coach Trainer states, "the only way you could get more realistic training is by actually having bullets flying by you."

During the five days of training, Soldiers practiced loading causalities on Blackhawk UH-60 helicopters, conducted medical scenarios with single or multiple casualties, and reviewed in-flight patient reassessment training. The medics also received tactical day and night convoy training, and culminated with a live fire exercise utilizing the Bundeswehr's G36 assault rifle.

When the training was over, all participants took part in an After Action Review (AAR). Meinders explains, the participants felt that such training should not be limited to medics only, "everyone should get the opportunity to get this high intensity training, because it brought the level of their training up. They were overwhelmed at first by the level of training; the realism. At the end they felt very satisfied."

According to Meinders, "The goal is to do this every year. To continue to build and invite our multinational partners to this training so that all the country's medics can take this training, this experience they learned and take it back to their countries." With plans in the works for more full immersion training and possible expansion for other nations to participate, medical personnel from across Europe can look forward to having a chance at getting the most realistic training available.

JMRC is the U.S. Army's only overseas combat training center. It is part of the 7th Army Joint Multinational Training Command that trains more than 60,000 soldiers (U.S., allied, and partner nations) annually.

Check out the training covered by German media. Warning all audio is in German: http://www.br.de/mediathek/video/sendungen/oberpfalz/as-opf-hohenfels-100.html

• Date Taken: 04.08.2015
• Date Posted: 04.19.2015 03:03
• Story ID: 160452
• Location: HOHENFELS, BY, DE