557th Medical Company (Area Support) medics provide first responder training for Bulgarian soldiers

Photo By Capt. Robert Gallimore | Capt. Donald Foss, a registered nurse assigned to 557th Medical Company oversees Bulgarian Soldiers running through a combat testing lane at the National Military University during first responder training. This training was requested by the Bulgarian land forces in order to prepare them for an upcoming mission.  

VELIKO TARNOVO, BULGARIA

05.01.2015

Courtesy Story

30th Medical Brigade

By 2nd Lt. Alexis Skinner
557th Medical Company

BAUMHOLDER, Germany - The 557th Medical Company, 421st Medical Battalion, 30th Medical Brigade conducted a first responder course from March 24-26 2015 at Vasil Levski National Military University, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria to prepare Bulgarian land forces for a deployment to support Operation Resolute.

Over a three-day period, Capt. Donald Foss, a 557th medical company registered nurse, and Staff Sgt. William Barraza, a 557th medical company medic, trained 29 Bulgarian soldiers in tactical combat casualty care, or TCCC, medical skills such as control of bleeding, treating an open chest wound, treating a tension pneumothorax and maintaining a patent airway. The objective of the first responder course was to enable the soldiers to learn how to treat the three most preventable causes of death on the battlefield and to get hands-on familiarization with medical equipment such as tourniquets and needle-chest decompression.

“Many of the Soldiers were enthusiastic and eager to learn the critical skills needed to save a life in a combat situation,” said Barraza. Several Soldiers made positive comments regarding the structure and planning of the three-day course. Day One consisted of instruction in a classroom setting. The following day, students received hands-on training with actual equipment utilized in a field environment. On the third day, Baraza and Foss created several combat scenario lanes in order to evaluate each Soldiers’ decision-making skills and technical ability to prevent the loss of life.

This small class of Bulgarian Soldiers will be deploying to Afghanistan this summer in support of Operation Resolute Support. Although TCCC is fundamentally different from civilian trauma care, the training that the Bulgarians received is based on unique patterns and types of injuries sustained in combat today. “Training is what we love to do. It’s been a pleasure educating and informing another one of our allies on how to be a first responder. We would gladly come back and train again,” said Foss.

• Date Taken: 05.01.2015
• Date Posted: 05.01.2015 07:43
• Story ID: 161886
• Location: VELIKO TARNOVO, BG