Photo By Staff Sgt. Jadyn Eisenbrandt | U.S. service members attend an advanced medical training course conducted by the...... read more read more
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HONOLULU — Airmen from the 124th Medical Group joined Army, Air Force, and Navy service members for advanced trauma training in Hawaii, Aug. 22–27, 2026, designed to prepare military medical personnel to perform lifesaving procedures in real-world emergencies.
The Armed Forces Advanced Trauma Training course, hosted by the Global Training Institute, provides medical personnel access to advanced procedures and donated human tissue that are difficult to replicate during routine training at home station.
“We sought out this training because there are some things we just can’t realistically replicate back at home,” said Chief Master Sgt. David Nguyen, senior enlisted leader of the 124th Medical Group. “We can train on mannequins all day, and they’re great tools, but they don’t look, feel, or even smell like a real person.”
The course included classroom instruction at the Hale Koa Hotel in Honolulu before participants moved to Marine Corps Base Hawaii for the hands-on cadaver laboratory.
The realistic environment allows participants to experience the anatomical and physical differences involved in treating traumatic injuries before encountering them in an emergency.
Participants rotated through hands-on stations designed to build skills for treating traumatic injuries. They trained on everything from controlling severe bleeding and treating wounds to managing airway and breathing emergencies. Airmen also practiced using ultrasound, placing IVs and other forms of vascular access, stabilizing fractures, suturing wounds, and treating chest injuries.
Working with human tissue allows Airmen to encounter those differences in a controlled environment where they can learn, ask questions, and make mistakes before facing a situation where a patient’s life is on the line, Nguyen said.
Gary Tams, an instructor with GTI, said the hands-on component gives military medical personnel an opportunity to move beyond what can be replicated through simulation.
“They get a lot of training. They really do,” Tams said. “But they never get that opportunity to see advanced training and actually get the hands-on part.”
For Tams, the difference between performing a procedure on a mannequin and on human tissue is significant. “It gives a whole different outlook on the situation,” Tams said. “The tissue’s different, the feel’s different.”
Senior Airman Tavish La Montagne, one of the newest members of the 124th Medical Group, said the realistic training increased his confidence in responding to emergencies.
“You feel more confident going into any sort of real-world scenario that you may encounter,” La Montagne said.
While the course gives participants experience performing advanced trauma procedures, Tams emphasized the importance of continuing to practice those skills after returning to their units.
“What you do in practice, you’ll do in the real game,” Tams said.
Nguyen said creating an environment where Airmen can experience challenging situations before encountering them in the field was a key reason for pursuing the training.
“I want our Airmen to be challenged here, where they can learn, make mistakes, ask questions, and build confidence,” Nguyen said, “so when the real situation comes, it isn’t the first time they’ve encountered it.”
| Date Taken: | 08.26.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 08.31.2026 10:21 |
| Story ID: | 573571 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 38 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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