2-5 Cav Medics Conduct Table VIII Medic Skills Validation

Photo By Sgt. Hannah Tarkelly | U.S. Army Pfc. Jasmine Comeaux a combat medic assigned to The Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division administers aid to a simulated casualty at Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base in Romania, August 20, 2018. Soldiers conducted Table VIII Medic Skills Validation, an annual training event required for Soldiers to keep their Military Occupational Specialty qualification as a combat medic. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Hannah Tarkelly, 382nd Public Affairs Detachment/ 1st ABCT, 1st CD/Released)  

MIHAIL KOGALNICEANU AIR BASE, ROMANIA

08.20.2018

Story by Spc. Hannah Tarkelly 

382nd Public Affairs Detachment

MIHAIL KOGALNICEANU AIR BASE, Romania – U.S. Soldiers assigned to The Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division conduct Table VIII Medic Skills Validation, August 20, 2018.
“It’s an annual training that’s required to keep their MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) qualification as a combat medic,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Jordan Dorn, the medical platoon sergeant for HHC, 2-5 Cav, 1st ABCT, 1st CD.
Soldiers are assessed individually on their medical evaluation task as an emergency medical technician and their ability to provide aide in a combat environment. The 9-line medevac is also integrated into the scenario with a black hawk and two flight medics standing by to carry the patients away.
Soldiers begin by assessing and treating a simulated injury evaluating their medical and EMT skills. Once the patient was treated, the combat medic being evaluated and three litter carriers transitioned to the trauma portion of the assessment.
Once the grader started the stopwatch, Soldiers raced against time to effectively save their simulated casualty from life threatening wounds. In the medical field every second is crucial and can be life or death for the casualty.
“I killed it in a good way,” Heiden said as she finished her evaluation. “I didn’t kill my casualty,”
The medic removed the injured Soldier from the line of fire, assessed and attended to the injuries and proceeded to call up the 9-line medevac. The combat medic, litter carriers and the flight medic work as a cohesive unit to transport the casualty to the black hawk.
Due to various distractions and stressors in a combat environment, it is important combat medics can treat casualties effectively in any condition.
Therefore, in order to keep their MOS, combat medics must constantly train and prepare themselves for various medical emergencies and environments.
“The medical field is always changing so it’s important to make sure you’re up to date with all the new SOP’s and standard procedures in order to keep your casualties alive,” said U.S. Army Cpl. Cassidy Heiden, a combat medic assigned to HHC, 2-5 Cav, 1st ABCT, 1st CD.
Combat medics continue to sharpen their skills and save lives on and off the battlefield.

• Date Taken: 08.20.2018
• Date Posted: 08.24.2018 09:40
• Story ID: 289633
• Location: MIHAIL KOGALNICEANU AIR BASE, RO