212th Combat Support Hospital Key Player in Saber Junction 17

Photo By Sgt. Karen Sampson | The 212th Combat Support Hospital emergency room staff assesses a simulated casualty during triage, April 27. The 212th Combat Support Hospital arrived at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center's Hohenfels Training Area to execute readiness training and provide medical support for 2d Cavalry Regiment during multinational exercise Saber Junction 17. Saber Junction 17 is the U.S. Army Europe's 2nd Cavalry Regiment's combat training center exercise, taking place at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, April 25- May 19, 2017. The exercise is designed to assess the readiness of the regiment to conduct unified land operations, with a particular emphasis on rehearsing the transition from garrison to combat operations, and exercising operational and tactical decision-making skills. Saber Junction 17 includes nearly 4,500 participants from 13 NATO and European partner nations. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Karen Sampson)  

HOHENFELS, BY, GERMANY

05.01.2017

Story by Sgt. Karen Sampson 

Joint Multinational Readiness Center

HOHENFELS, Germany -- The 212th Combat Support Hospital arrived at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center's Hohenfels Training Area to execute readiness training and provide medical support for 2d Cavalry Regiment during multinational exercise Saber Junction 2017, April 25 through May 19.

In advance of the large training exercise, the combat hospital was fully functional on April 25. As part of their train-up, the CSH conducted a Mass Casualty Exercise, provided by a team from Great Britain which simulated real-world injuries on a barrage incoming casualties.

The team from Great Britain specialize in moulage, which is the art of applying synthetic injuries for training emergency response teams and medical military personnel.

During the training, an ambulance pulled into the medical compound with two casualties. One soldier was assessed as suffering a sucking chest wound. The other had a damaged extremity in need of amputation.

Both were whisked promptly to tables in the emergency room where triage was performed.

"The 212th CSH is set up as a full-functioning medical hospital," said Col. Brian Almquist, commander of the 212th CSH. "In practicing our own mission-essential tasks, we've had entities outside our organization create scenarios for MASCAL training."

The training exercise tested the response and communication of the 212th CSH's emergency room, operating room and intensive care unit.

"Patient care is the 212th CSH primary mission," said Staff Sgt. Adrian Elisondo, Operating Room Noncommissioned Officer in Charge. "The MASCAL sharpened our abilities starting with triage in the emergency room."

"As a staff we were tested on how quickly we documented injuries and determined if the injury is surgical," he said.

Given the severity of the simulated injury, the patients were treated according to standard medical protocols.

"The MASCAL helped our emergency room, surgical staff and operating technicians hone their skills for a possibly live situation," Lt. Col. Ed Maniulit, Officer in Charge of Operating Room Central Material Services. "The 212th CSH staff did an excellent job."

• Date Taken: 05.01.2017
• Date Posted: 05.03.2017 06:06
• Story ID: 232375
• Location: HOHENFELS, BY, DE
• Hometown: DALLAS, TX, US
• Hometown: NORFOLK, VA, US
• Hometown: PORTLAND, ME, US
• Hometown: SAN DIEGO, CA, US
• Hometown: WASHINGTON, DC, US