Soldiers From Alabama Army National Guard Conduct Medical Cross-Training in Romania

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Davis | Lt. Col.Daniel Ianc (center), Chief of Medical Training, with Staff Sgt. Charles Barrowand Spc. Zachary Burnett, both with the 127th Area Support Medical Company, review the performance of a Romanian nurse at the conclusion of their final culminating field exercise at Cincu Training Range, Romania. She was a participant in the second class of Tactical Combat Casualty Care based on the U.S. Army Combat Medic Course supported by the Alabama National Guard’s State Partnership Program with Romania. (Army Photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Davis, 226th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade)  

CINCU, ROMANIA

06.16.2016

Story by Staff Sgt. Christopher Davis 

877th Engineer Battalion

Cincu, Romania. – The sounds of automatic weapons fire, blaring sirens, shouting and yelling would be enough to distract and confuse any medic who is trying to help a Soldier in need.

These Soldiers are Romanian nurses who were undergoing training to improve their skills from the clinical level of nursing in a hospital to being able to treat fellow wounded Soldiers on the battlefield. They learned to bring their skills to a higher level than ever before.

“It’s about the procedures in doing things the proper way with a lot of confidence during the fight in the field,” said Lt. Col. Daniel Ianc, Director of Medical Training. “Soldiers are looking for a doctor or for the medic when something wrong happens.”

That was exactly what the combat medics from the 127th Area Support Medical Company from Mobile, Alabama, are trying to teach their Romanian counterparts. On June 15, 2016, They trained them over the last two weeks to remain focused, to take care of a wounded Soldier and always maintain their composure.

“That is the number one goal to keep people alive,” said Zachary Burnett, one of the instructors for the course. “If I can leave here knowing these Romanian Soldiers are confident in their abilities and that they can keep a Soldier alive until they get to the next echelon of care, I am happy.”

Eight nurses from the Romanian Land Forces came to the Cincu Training Range for instruction on advanced techniques critical for combat medics attached to frontline units. As a nurse in the Romanian Land Forces, they are required to have three years of nursing school before assuming that role. It is considered an extra duty assignment for a nurse to be assigned to a line unit as their medic.

Five medics from the 127th Area Support Medical Company, Alabama Army National Guard were the instructors helping the nurses learn the skills compatible with NATO medical evacuation procedures and expectations. The two week class was broken up into two components: classroom instruction in the morning hours and practical hands-on exercises in the afternoons.

“We are trying to actually facilitate a realistic training,” said Staff Sgt. Adam Barr, senior instructor of the Tactical Combat Casualty Care course. “They have some medical background, but we are trying to give them the military side of combat medic training.”

The nurses received instruction that would focus each day on learning one medical treatment situation with a hands-on portion in a controlled environment before moving to an outside location to simulate combat conditions. This setup provided the preparation needed for the culminating exercise at the end of the course.

Barr said in the long run he would like to see Romanian nurses receive a certification that would be equivalent to a combat medic. When the nurses are placed into line units, they can be stretched thin, because there are only one to two medics for up to 250 Soldiers.

“I will keep and use all the techniques that I learned here because I only knew the civilian medical methods before I came here and not the combat medical methods,” said Cpl. Madalin Stoica. “I trust myself more because I know what I have to do when any situation happens.”

During the practical exercises in the afternoons, the medics of the 127th Area Support Medical Company used various methods to induce stress, confusion and distraction as the nurses went through the steps of evaluating and treating a simulated wounded Soldier. As the course developed, so did the nurses’ ability to remain focused on their tasks without getting overwhelmed.

“It is awesome to see the light go on in their eyes when they figure out, ‘I am actually doing something that might save someone’s life on the battlefield,’ said Barr.

This class was only the second time this course was offered to Romanian nurses and facilitated by Alabama Guardsmen. Barr was also the lead instructor with the first class that was offered in March. He said that the class has progressively improved its instruction to give the Romanians the best training possible for the skills that would best help them in the future.

“It gives us a chance to interact with a strong ally,” said Barr. “It gives our men an opportunity to actually put into practice real world training they have been provided and then provide it for someone else.”

The Alabama National Guard and the Romania Land Forces have been members of the State Partnership Program ever since its inception in 1993. The two groups have shared in over 200 events from state visits, training exercises and subject-matter-expert exchanges.

It is not uncommon for multiple nations to work in a joint force environment in today’s military operations. The training for the Romanian nurses provided them a glimpse of the potential to work with nations other than their own military.

The purpose of the course was to get the nurses to the point where they can filter into any NATO ally, being able to fill the role of a combat medic, said Barr.

Soldiers, like Sgt. Stefan Matei, will feel ready to handle working in a joint force operation, knowing what will be expected of them. With the completion of this class, the Romanian nurses will have more opportunities to work with medics from other allied nations, learning new things and being capable to step up when needed.

Many of the Soldiers left the course having the confidence that Lt. Col.. Ianc wanted them to have as a result from learning these critical skills as a medic.

“Before we came here, we could not save very many lives,” said Matei. “But now if a war was to happen, we can save a lot more lives. I am sure of it.”

• Date Taken: 06.16.2016
• Date Posted: 06.29.2016 17:40
• Story ID: 202785
• Location: CINCU, RO