Quick response by MNB-D Soldier saves AAFES worker's life

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

01.22.2006

Courtesy Story

DVIDS Hub       

By Pvt. Paul Harris
3rd HBCT, 4th Inf. Div. PAO

BAGHDAD -- During a recent mortar attack, Sgt. Maj. Guadalupe Aldama, operations sergeant major for 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, put his first aid skills to the test.

A Pakistani national, who works at the Post Exchange, suffered an injury to his right arm from shrapnel during the attack and started to bleed profusely.

"I rushed to his aid, followed by some Soldiers behind me," Aldama said. "We tried to stop the bleeding by applying direct pressure with my hand, but it would not stop the bleeding. At that time, we applied a tourniquet and called for a humvee to take him to the hospital."

Responding to the call for help was an automatic reaction for Aldama. He attributed his quick reaction to the first aid training he received during the past 24 years in the Army and, most recently, the First Responder Course that he attended at Fort Carson, Colo., before this deployment.

The First Responder Course is designed to teach every Soldier, regardless of rank, the fundamentals of first aid and quick responses to common injuries they might encounter on the battlefield.

Capt. John Hughes, surgeon, 3rd HBCT, who helped treat the patient at the hospital, praised Aldama for his quick reaction.

"The aid that Sgt. Maj. Aldama performed is exactly what we want done for that type of injury," said Hughes. "He did the right thing. The patient could have potentially died if Aldama had not preformed first aid as quickly as he did."

The injured Pakistani national is recovering and due to return to work soon, Hughes said.

Aldama is quite humble about his first combat experience of this deployment.

"A Soldier will help anyone in need. Any of our Soldiers could have done the same thing I did. I just happened to be first on the scene."

• Date Taken: 01.22.2006
• Date Posted: 01.22.2006 07:40
• Story ID: 5170
• Location: BAGHDAD, IQ