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Joint Rescue Training

Photo By Sgt. Christopher Bigelow | Pfc. Perry Wolf and Dylan Pulos, combat medics with the 86th Combat Support Hospital,...... read more read more

CAMP ARIFJAN, KUWAIT

05.08.2017

Story by Sgt. Christopher Bigelow

316th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary)

Joint Rescue and Isolated Personnel Recovery operations were conducted in a training exercise at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait's Patriot Airfield May 8, 2017.
The training, hosted by Soldiers from the 86th Combat Support Hospital (CSH), Marines from the Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron - 364 (VMM-364) and Emergency Response Technicians from Area Support Group – Kuwait (ASG-K), Joint Emergency Services (JES).
Service members and their civilian EMS counterparts rehearsed MV-22 Osprey casualty loading and offloading procedures to develop Joint Service cohesion and collectively review the standard operating procedures of casualty transportation throughout the U.S. Central Commands Area Of Responsibility.
"It’s important for each member to be familiar with standard operating procedures so that when an actual event occurs, there is no confusion or safety compromise," said Cmdr. Rudolph Herrera, the Surgeon with Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve.
According to Sgt. 1st Class, Adam Hendrickson, a combat medic with the 86th CSH, Joint Service training ensures that Emergency Response Personnel remains relevant within their current areas of operation.
United States Medical Hospital – Kuwait (USMH-K) staff is responsible for ensuring that persons in an emergency situation are evaluated and treated promptly.
"The entire crew, both in the aircraft and on the ground have to be able to work together. The aircrews manage all aspects of safety and crew coordination in flight. 'From receiving the patient or survivor from the battlefield to authentication of the survivor.' The teams on the ground provide safe reception of the patient, and themselves while entering and exiting the aircraft, for transfer to the medical facility," said Herrera
After rehearsing for several hours, air and ground crews developed a safe and fluid patient or survivor transition from the Aircraft to the Medical Facility Transport.
"We role played this particular scenario to the fullest of our capability to work out any issues that came up and mitigate as much confusion as possible. Our goal was to ensure that our Soldiers and civilian EMS counterparts were able to load and unload any litter casualty off of the MV-22 Osprey," said Hendrickson.
According to Herrera this type of collaborative training maintains the 1-TEAM-1-FIGHT mentality.
"I would like to offer a special thank you to VMM-364, ASG-K JES and the 86th CSH for holding the training. This valuable, real-world training, is needed in today's fight. The VMM-364 have always been at the forefront of Casualty Evacuations from the CH-46 Sea Knight days in Operation Iraqi Freedom to now with the MV-22 Osprey," said Herrera.