Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Moira Esquivel | Cmdr. Paul Lewis (left), general surgeon, and Hospitalman Sebatiano Garofalo (right),...... read more read more
CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — Surgical and respiratory technicians demonstrated their vital role as team members in providing life-saving care in austere battlefield environments during an Expeditionary Resuscitative Surgical System (ERSS) course conducted by Naval Expeditionary Medicine Warfighter Development Center (NEMWDC), June 9-17, 2025.
ERSS is a seven-member mobile medical team providing damage control surgery and resuscitation for critically injured patients supporting military operations. The team is comprised of officer and enlisted medical professionals who train alongside each other to sharpen their skills in austere battlefield environments to provide the highest level of patient care. The enlisted Sailors play an essential role in contributing to life-saving measures and practices downrange.
Among the Sailors were Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Tartrend Williams, respiratory technician, and Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Kevin Greer, surgical technologist, with ERSS-4 from Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Guam. Both played integral roles as ERSS-4 underwent high fidelity and hyper-realistic training that offered simulated trauma scenarios to test their ability to perform under pressure in a resource-constrained environment.
“The goal of this training is not just technical proficiency—it’s building confident, adaptable corpsmen who can think critically and save lives under pressure,” said Chief Hospital Corpsman Stewart Veal, leading chief petty officer of Education and Training at NEMWDC. “Courses like ERSS allow our enlisted Sailors to step into real-world scenarios and operate as a critical part of a forward surgical team.”
For Greer, his responsibilities included assisting with damage control surgery, maintaining sterile fields, and anticipating the surgeon’s needs—all while navigating the unique demands of a mobile based operating room.
“The most challenging aspect for me would be the limitations of resources, combined with the increased need for adaptability and innovation,” Greer said. “We were required to improvise with the limited supplies we had on hand and the often less-than-ideal environment we were placed in.”
Respiratory technicians like Williams are also integral to the ERSS team, who manage airway obstructions, one of the most time-sensitive medical conditions treated on the battlefield.
“With upper airway obstruction being the second most common cause of death on the battlefield, it is critical to secure the airway and provide ventilation,” said Williams. “We have to be quick to save lives and provide the best care possible.”
From managing ventilators and oxygen systems to stepping in for patient movement and communications, respiratory technicians bring versatility and life-sustaining expertise to every evolution.
The ERSS course is designed to train small, mobile surgical teams to deploy into combat zones and provide life-saving care. The course blends classroom instruction with high-intensity field scenarios using high-fidelity manikins, realistic injuries, and limited equipment—mirroring the operational challenges of real-world deployments.
The participation of medical technicians like Greer and Williams highlighted the importance of a well-rounded team, where every member contributes to mission success. Their adaptability, innovation, and technical skill are key to ensuring ERSS teams are ready to operate under fire, anytime, anywhere.
As the Navy continues to emphasize expeditionary medicine, the ERSS program reinforces that the strength of the team lies not only in the tools they carry—but in the people trained to use them.
NEMWDC, located at Camp Pendleton, is a center of excellence for unit-level medical training to ensure readiness for future operations. The center's training programs are critical to preparing medical personnel for the challenges of combat and contingency operations.
| Date Taken: | 08.15.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.15.2025 17:07 |
| Story ID: | 545757 |
| Location: | CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 33 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Corpsman Up: Surgical and Respiratory Techs demonstrate key role in EXMED mission, by PO2 Moira Esquivel, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
