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A competition that started in 2003 as a way to bring some competitiveness to weekend medical training continues to bring Nebraska Army National Guard medical Soldiers together from across the state to Mead Training Site.
This year’s Sept. 9 Squad Medic Challenge brought together 36 Soldiers from the Nebraska Army National Guard’s 313th Medical Company (Ground Ambulance) and Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1-134th Cavalry, and the 7264 Medical Support Unit from the Elkhorn Army Reserves Site.
The challenge consisted of nine four-person teams that competed against each other while completing nine training lanes, primarily at the Mead Training Site with one in a wooded area at Camp Ashland, designed to test both their medical and physical skills. The lanes consisted of such challenges as crossing water with a patient, treating a patient while under fire, moving a 200-pound casualty, and providing enroute care. The new addition to this year’s challenge included crossing the Platte River in a zodiac boat to evacuate patients off a sandbar.
Each lane had a minimum of two graders who assigned point values for each task. Some events had more detailed steps, while other graders were looking for the critical steps of each skill, and others for speed of the task.
“In addition to the lanes,” said 1st Lt. Travis Kirchner, “they also have to do land (navigation) in between each of the points to get to their next lane.”
While the Squad Medic Challenge is designed to test Soldiers’ medical and physical skills, as with any team event, it also tested their teamwork and communication skills. Something as simple as moving a litter can become difficult without good communication.
“These aren’t the people we normally work with,” said Spc. Christian Magilton, 313th Medical Company. “It is more challenging because you don’t really know them, but I am getting to know new people and their skills.”
That’s especially true when working with Soldiers who don’t share the same military or civilian occupational specialty. Soldiers within the units have a wide array of careers and experience.
“Not every Army medic is in a medical field full-time,” said Sgt Jared Callahan. “I am a mechanic, but a medic two days a month. This challenge tests the skills that I don’t use every day.”
Taking the gold at this year’s challenge was a team from the Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1-134th Cavalry, consisting of Sgt. Jeffery Hergenreder, Spc. Douglas Reiss, Spc. Alexander Webster and Spc. Kate Cole.
While the weekend was designed to be a competitive training event, it was actually much more than that.
“While it is a competition, it isn’t win or lose,” said Master Sgt. Brock Domeier, an event grader from 110th Multifunctional Medical Battalion. “We can use this as a teaching tool for things to work on.” He added that knowing the strengths of other soldiers on your team and communicating are vital parts of this event.
| Date Taken: | 11.20.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 12.13.2017 09:00 |
| Story ID: | 258611 |
| Location: | LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, US |
| Web Views: | 53 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Top Medics, by PFC Elyse Lyons, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
