Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Tawny Kruse | Spc. Brianna Nolen, a military police Soldier with the 29th Military Police Company,...... read more read more
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HOHENFELS, GERMANY -- Two mopeds were tipped over in front of a light medium tactical vehicle in the middle of an intersection in Hohenfels, Germany. Role players sported fake injuries ranging from burns and broken bones to sharp objects sticking out of body parts, and calls for help were made between short breaths as active duty and National Guard Soldiers responded to the realistic training scenario.
Sgt. 1st Class Michael Raines, assigned to the Maryland Army National Guard’s 29th Military Police Company, had his unit conducting routine patrols during a rotation at the Joint Multinational Readiness Training Center when he received a call about a mass casualty traffic accident Nov. 4, 2020. His Soldiers responded quickly and were first on scene.
“My MPs started providing first aid immediately,” said Raines. “Once the medical team showed up, we were able to start preserving the scene and coordinate further assets to process the scene and protect life.”
The unit is completing a JMRC rotation to prepare for its upcoming deployment as the MP task force for Kosovo Force 28 in support of Operation Joint Guardian. KFOR 28 is a NATO organization which will be headquartered by the Iowa National Guard’s 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division. When the medics arrived, active duty and National Guard Soldiers worked together to accomplish the mission.
Spc. Markell Pinkett, assigned to the 566th Area Support Medical Company in Fort Hood, Texas, is a dental specialist. He will be the only dental asset for KFOR 28’s Task Force Med. When his medical team realized the gravity of the situation, he jumped in and assisted several injured individuals while taking guidance from the MPs and combat medics.
“There was fluidity, a lot of communication,” said Pinkett, who is combat lifesaver certified. “I worked with a couple of MPs on the scene who were also CLS certified and that gave me a boost because I was able to leave a patient in their care and attend to another patient. It was good to have them there.”
Keeping track of patients and the type of treatments they were given could be challenging. It was all notional, so constant communication between all the responders helped the process run smoothly. As Pinkett took care of injuries, he said it was important to stay grounded and not get caught up in the chaos.
Pinkett also said it was great to have a transfer of knowledge from a different unit. Task Force Med and Task Force MP Soldiers assigned to KFOR 28 will have unique opportunities to work with different components of the U.S. Army and international forces.
“It’s important to establish relationships early on, on a professional level,” said Raines. “In this training environment, we can overcome any challenges or synchronize our efforts in order to accomplish the mission abroad.”
Raines, who is also a police officer at the Alexandria City Police Department in Maryland, deployed to Afghanistan in 2011 for a combat support mission, which is par for the course for most MP companies.
Soon, his unit will be taking on a completely different mission by leading law enforcement operations at Camp Bondsteel in Kosovo. Raines will be serving as the provost sergeant for Regional Command-East and said he couldn’t be more excited for the position.
“I really wanted to help the state of Maryland take a step in a law enforcement direction for military police rolls,” said Raines. “We have had a great time. The Soldiers have done fantastic jobs.”
Raines noted one of his Soldiers, Spc. Brianna Nolen of Frederick, Maryland, showed strong leadership potential throughout the 29th MP Company’s JMRC training. Nolen was on patrol when they got the call about the accident and cordoned off the area. She took statements, scanned for witnesses and prioritized patients based on the seriousness of their injuries for when the medics arrived.
“I tried to make sure they stayed conscious and got tourniquets on them if I needed to stop the bleeding,” said Nolen. “Once the medics got there, I gave them the reigns and made sure nearby buildings were cleared.”
Joining the military was never the plan for Nolen, but after she graduated college with a degree in criminal justice and psychology, she said she needed direction. Her parents are both veterans of the Marine Corps and Navy, and many of her ten siblings have careers in civilian law enforcement, so her family was extremely supportive when she signed up.
Nolen’s four-year career in the Maryland National Guard has provided the clarity and purpose she was searching for after her undergraduate career. When people can look up to you no matter your rank and see you as a protector, it gives you a good feeling, she said.
“When I came to the 29th MP Company my first drill, they didn’t see me as a brand new specialist or someone who just came out of basic and advanced individual training,” said Nolen. “They looked at me, said I already have a degree. They gave me paperwork and put me in a leadership position.”
Nolen said the unit’s willingness to include even the most junior Soldiers in decisions and leaders who push everyone forward has inspired her reenlist when the time comes.
“Sgt. 1st Class Raines is amazing,” said Nolen. “I am really fortunate to have leadership that tells me every day I’m going to move forward and do great things.”
Nolen and Pinkett are deploying for the first time, and whether it’s the chance to perform their duties in a real-world mission or an eagerness to work in a new international environment, both of these junior leaders said they are ready and capable to be assets to KFOR 28.
“I have been humbled and honored to serve with every single one of my Soldiers on every level,” said Raines. “I can go to bed knowing they’re doing what needs to be done. They have made me proud.”
| Date Taken: | 11.05.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 11.06.2020 10:10 |
| Story ID: | 382424 |
| Location: | HOHENFELS, BY, DE |
| Hometown: | FREDERICK, MD, US |
| Hometown: | MIDDLETOWN, MD, US |
| Hometown: | TRAPPE, MD, US |
| Web Views: | 175 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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