IA soldiers learn new medical procedures

Photo By Staff Sgt. Lyndsey Prax | Sgt. Lucas Gonzales, native of Stanton, Texas, and physical therapy specialist, Company C, 225th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, "Warrior," 25th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, wraps the ankle of Iraqi Sgt. Maj. Abere Yasa, a nurse from the Camp Taji Medical Clinic during a practical training exercise on how to treat an acute ankle sprain, at Camp Taji, northwest of Baghdad, July 12.  

TAJI, IRAQ

07.12.2008

Story by Pfc. Lyndsey Prax 

2nd Mobile Brigade, 25th Infantry Division

By Pfc. Lyndsey Dransfield
2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team "Warrior," 25th Infantry Division

CAMP TAJI, Iraq — Soldiers from Company C, 225th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team "Warrior," 25th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad provided a medical class, July 12, for the doctors and medics from the Iraqi army at the Camp Taji Clinic, northwest of Baghdad.

The purpose of the class is not only to educate the IA soldiers, but also to build and enhance the partnership between the two forces.

"Every Friday we play a game of sports to interact and have fun, and Saturdays we provide a class for them to learn different medical procedures," said Capt. Jodi Brown, a native of Kingston, N.H., and registered nurse assigned to Co. C, 225th BSB.

This particular class was instructed by Sgt. Lucas Gonzales, native of Stanton, Texas, physical therapy specialist with Company C, 225 BSB, who instructed the IA medics on treating an acute ankle sprain.

We receive various cases like this and it is helpful to get extra training and learn different ways," said Iraqi Sgt. Maj. Racab Saleem, an IA pharmacist at the Camp Taji Medical Clinic.

Cardiovascular, physical exams, antibiotic therapy, burns, electrocardiogram procedures and psychological evaluations are just a few of the other medical classes taught to the Iraqi army medics.

"These trainings are important because from a medical perspective, we want to be sure they can provide high quality care," said Gonzales.

"They are very eager to learn and if they don't know something they are not afraid to ask," he said. "I am competent in their ability to take a block of instruction and utilize it to treat their patients properly."

• Date Taken: 07.12.2008
• Date Posted: 07.16.2008 13:09
• Story ID: 21548
• Location: TAJI, IQ