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CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Marines with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) completed a Combat Life-Saver Course aboard the USS Arlington (LPD 24) July 31-Aug 1.
The course was split into two parts, classroom instruction and practical application drills. Unit corpsmen taught students the procedures for treating common battlefield injuries, and how to use medical instruments to treat those injuries.
Corpsmen highlighted several topics during the course including an overview of anatomy and physiology, different types of bleeding, recognizing airway obstruction, types of burns, and other common battlefield injuries and the treatments for them.
After receiving the classes, students were given time to apply what they learned during practical application drills. According to Petty Officer 1st Class Jonathan Gearhart, a corpsman with Combat Logistics Battalion 26, 26th MEU, the drills provide Marines with the muscle memory they would need during a real crisis.
“No one understands until they are in that situation on the battlefield how difficult it can be,” said Gearhart. “It’s at that time when you will revert back to your basic training, because you don’t have time to think. I repetitively drilled the Marines on combat casualty care continuously, because I wanted them to have a genuine understanding of the interventions to treat the wound.”
The course culminated with a final evaluation exercise in which Marines were given a random injury to treat. While treating the mock injuries, the Marines had to explain to Gearhart the steps for triage and what tools they were using to treat the injury.
Gearhart said during the course he had the Marines repeatedly practice the three phases of combat care — care under fire, tactical field care, and tactical evacuation. During his deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, he learned that combat care interventions save lives.
“I teach the class from what I’ve seen,” said Gearhart. “I drill in their heads the procedures that are going to save lives in combat. Everything I teach in this class I have probably performed at some time on one of my deployments to Iraq or Afghanistan. I’ve seen how these interventions can save lives, which is why I am so passionate about repetitively drilling them on the life-saving interventions.”
For students like Lance Cpl. Durrell Dowling, a radio operator with CLB 26, the course was very beneficial.
“I really enjoyed this course overall, because of all the knowledge I gained,” said. “I’m also on the mass casualty evacuation team, so I think this training will be very beneficial during the upcoming deployment.”
Marines with the 26th MEU and sailors with the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group are currently participating in a Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX) in preparation for their deployment to the 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility later this fall.
| Date Taken: | 08.07.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 08.07.2015 17:20 |
| Story ID: | 172533 |
| Location: | CAMP LEJEUNE, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 95 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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