Photo By Senior Airman Lane Plummer | Staff Sgt. Andrew Thompson, 27th Special Operations Support Squadron SOF medical...... read more read more
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Special Operations Forces Medical Element members participated in exercises last week, and are expected to complete a few more this week at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M.
The events tested SOFME capabilities in providing medical aid to simulated casualties under stressful conditions.
“No one ever wants to see another military member injured but unfortunately the best training comes from firsthand experience in the field,” said Tech. Sgt. Seth Haas, 27th Special Operations Support Squadron NCO-in-charge of critical operations. “We are creating the most realistic situations possible to better prepare our teams for deployments.”
Over the course of two weeks, according to Haas, SOFME teams and units around the base cooperated in completing rigorous scenarios simulating an austere medical site downrange, where they worked out of tents and forward deployed to pick up casualties. Treatment was given whilst on aircraft, on-the-ground and in vehicles to help simulate holding and caring for patients for an extended period of time.
“This model will help our medics prepare for places where medical support is not as robust,” Haas said.
SOFME members are highly-skilled individuals that maintain their edge by conducting continual in-house training and treating patients in the 27th Special Operations Medical Group, according to Haas. They stay ready for sudden deployments in case of natural disasters or Special Operations Command tasks. In between times outside base, they’re here, training Airmen in basic life support and tactical combat casualty care courses prior to deployments.
“Our high-ops tempo provides a lot of challenges where we must always remain as flexible and prepared as possible because situations can change at the drop of a hat,” said Staff Sgt. Andrew Thompson, SOFME.
Thompson explained that in a year, SOFME forces deploy for four months. Per month, they also fit in one to three temporary deployments, exercises, provide medical coverage two days, teach one to two classes on tactical medicine or basic life support and work 50-110 hours at the 27th SOMDG.
The exercises were also used to help shed some light on what his career field is about, according to Haas.
“The SOFME community is extremely small and a lot of leaders we come in contact with aren’t fully aware of what we bring to the fight,” Haas said. “While this training is something SOFMEs participate in regularly, it might be something a non-operational medic may never experience in their career. As an advocate for grooming the next generation of SOF medics, I will meet with medics that work in the hospital and recommend them to be involved with SOFMEs in any way possible. This exposure will help our younger medics to be aware of other career paths available to them and continue pushing the SOFME career field in the right direction.”
Despite the stressful last few weeks, whether it was pushing SOFME into challenging scenarios, ensuring readiness and strengthening core IDMT abilities, Thompson understands the value and purpose of the training.
“[I hope to] uncover my weaknesses, get exposure to situations that I’ve never been in and learn as much as I can,” Thompson revealed. “If you are debating on whether to become an independent duty medical technician or not, I would highly suggest that you do, especially if you have the opportunity to become a SOFME. I love my job and I wish I had done this sooner in my career.”
| Date Taken: | 01.28.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 01.28.2019 12:25 |
| Story ID: | 308478 |
| Location: | NM, US |
| Web Views: | 304 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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