3/2CR Medical Platoon: Above the Standard

Photo By Capt. Ellen Brabo | During Dragoon Ready at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, the 3rd Squadron, 2d Cavalry Regiment medical platoon assembles the Role 1 care facility with their best recorded time at 26-minutes. According to Sgt. 1st Class Jason Bushong, medical platoon sergeant, 3/2CR, a good time is 30-minutes, but the U.S. Army standard is one-hour. If the medical platoon took the full one-hour to set up the Role 1 facility, the very first wave of casualties are already outside of the “golden hour.” By aiming for 30-minutes, this provides the best possible scenario for casualty care. (U.S. Army photo by 1st Lt. Ellen C. Brabo, 2d Cavalry Regiment)  

HOHENFELS, BY, GERMANY

11.29.2018

Courtesy Story

2d Cavalry Regiment

Written by 1st Lt. Olivia Fairfield, 3rd Squadron, 2d Cavalry Regiment

The Role I is a continuously mobile medical treatment facility, capable of moving at a moment's notice to facilitate the commander's maneuver plan. 2nd Lt. Emily Kirchner, medical service officer, 3/2CR, explained her platoon’s role in training events and combat situations.

“Our role in care is to perform lifesaving measures at the unit-level,” said Kirchner. “The Role I works to stabilize patients in order for them to return to duty or be sent to a higher level of care. In addition, the Role I tends to disease and non-battle injury prevention, combat operational stress control and medical evacuation from the line units we support.”

During Dragoon Ready at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, the medics assembled the Role 1 care facility with their best recorded time at 26-minutes. According to Sgt. 1st Class Jason Bushong, medical platoon sergeant, 3/2CR, a good time is 30-minutes, but the U.S. Army standard is one-hour.

“We aim for 30-minutes because you can start having causalities as soon as you arrive,” said Sgt. Alysa Ronda, medic, 3/2CR. “If it can be established within 30-minutes, we can maintain casualties within one-hour often referred to as the ‘golden hour’.”

If the medical platoon took the full one-hour to set up the Role 1 facility, the very first wave of casualties are already outside of the “golden hour.” By aiming for 30-minutes, this provides the best possible scenario for casualty care.

During the evening, more complications can arise when setting up the Role 1. Two of the main obstacles the medical team encountered while assembling the Role 1 at night were limited visibility and noise and light discipline in a combat environment.

At night, limited visibility hinders the process of setting up the Role 1 because of the amount of equipment and limited personnel. While operating in a combat environment, Soldiers need to maintain their noise and light discipline in order to not compromise their position to the enemy.

While the medical platoon is setting up the Role 1, they can still conduct “tailgate medicine” by utilizing the medical evacuation vehicle. Therefore, they are able to utilize the full capabilities of the Role 1 while finishing to establish the actual tent.

“Tailgate medicine is conducted when we are unable to establish the main aid station,” explained Kirchner. “It is utilized when we conduct short halts, typically no more than two hours. We will establish a designated vehicle, equipped with the necessary equipment and [medical material] to run one bed supporting an urgent casualty.”

As soon as the Role 1 is established, the MEV is freed to act as a mobile Role 1, providing the medical platoon the ability to push out closer to the action and provide care closer to the scene. This provides 3/2CR with two fully functioning Role 1 care facilities.

Going forward, the 3/2CR medical platoon will be putting special emphasis on their train-up for the expert field medical badge qualification course coming up. In January, eligible medics will go through a test week to determine who will be able to compete for the coveted badge.

• Date Taken: 11.29.2018
• Date Posted: 11.29.2018 09:25
• Story ID: 301583
• Location: HOHENFELS, BY, DE