Photo By Spc. Logan Trotter | Arizona Army National Guard soldiers practice advanced medical procedures on a trauma...... read more read more
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PHOENIX — Soldiers with the Arizona National Guard participated in the Medical Simulation Training Program at Papago Park Military Reservation in Phoenix on December 6-7, 2025. The program uses advanced simulations to prepare Soldiers for combat casualty care in realistic and controlled environments.
Master Sgt. Tony Bonillas, assigned to the Medical Simulation Training Center with Joint Forces Headquarters, serves as the course coordinator. The training is designed to expose medics to the stress and unpredictability of battlefield trauma so they can respond effectively during deployment, Bonillas said.
The Medical Simulation Training Center primarily serves combat medics (68W), working to complete medical tables, skills evaluations and continuing education. The facility also trains Soldiers seeking Tactical Combat Casualty Care and Combat Lifesaver certification, as well as CPR. According to Bonillas, the curriculum can be tailored to support a wide range of trainees, from new students to experienced medical professionals.
Arizona Army National Guard Spc. Jonathan Zolozabal, a combat medic with the 158th Infantry Regiment, attended the course as a training candidate. He said the instruction combines classroom lessons with hands-on, scenario-based evaluations.
“The training in the program is centered around treating patients in both combat and noncombat scenarios,” Zolozabal said. “We go through power points explaining different medical procedures, medical assessments and interventions. Once the didactic portion is finished, we come into the simulation lab with the mannequins and run those scenarios. Our instructors will say you have a patient who has difficulty breathing and is wheezing. What do you do? Then we go through the scenario and treat the mannequin.”
The program’s lifelike technology significantly enhances the learning experience. “The mannequins we train on are Laerdal All Sim High Fidelity mannequins, so they can breathe, talk and blink,” he said. “Their eyes react to light. If the simulation involves hypoxia you can see the mannequin turn blue in the face. They are controlled remotely by an instructor with a tablet. Anything from respiratory rate to pulses can be adjusted. The Army plans to move into augmented reality under the MSTC 2.0 program.” said Zolozabal.
Zolozabal works as a full-time EMT with Chandler Fire and Rescue. He has served in the Arizona National Guard since September 2020 and received his EMT training through the Arizona National Guard.
“Having gone through the older course without the high fidelity mannequins, I can say the interventions become much more clear. When you run a code blue, you can actually do CPR and the instructor can see how deep the compressions are and the rate you are doing them.” said Zolozabal
Soldiers from the 158th Infantry Regiment and the 996th Medical Company trained together to strengthen medical readiness and improve lifesaving capability across the Arizona Army National Guard.
(Story by Spc. Justin Fallon, U.S. Army National Guard)
| Date Taken: | 12.06.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 12.08.2025 13:02 |
| Story ID: | 553318 |
| Location: | PHOENIX, ARIZONA, US |
| Web Views: | 73 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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