Sgt. 1st Class Peter Chadwick
Division Support Brigade PAO
CAMP TAJI, Iraq -- Nearly 60 combat medics representing all the medical units here had their life-saving skills challenged during the Semi-Annual Combat Medic Skills Validation Test May 8-10.
In the 3rd Infantry Division, SACMS-VT is also referred to as the "Medic Table 8."
The Army requires that all medics validate their skills every six months, said Capt. David Hamilton, a physician's assistant with the 550th Area Support Medical Company of 3rd Inf. Div.'s Division Support Brigade.
"It provides opportunities for commanders to ensure their medics are trained," said Hamilton, who hails from Blackwater, N.Y.
The testing checked proficiency on medical skills, said Sgt. Roberta H. Minor, a medic with the 547th Area Support Medical Company, 261st Area Support medical battalion, Fort Lewis, Wash.
Minor, a Tacoma Park, Md., native, said she was tested on life-saving techniques like cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, rapid trauma assessment, and treating a casualty in a nuclear, biological and chemical contaminated environment.
"We don't get to do this all the time," said Pfc. Darrell W. Gibson, also a medic with the 547th. "It keeps us up to date."
Many combat medics stay in the troop medical clinics on the forward operating bases and don't get to use these skills, said Minor, who was a certified nursing assistant before joining the Army.
Minor said the training helped the medics get all their facts straight just in case they were attached to a unit operating outside the base.
One way to keep the emergency treatment smooth is to be organized, said 1st Lt. Ronald A. Leach, also a physician's assistant with the 550th.
The Hardinsburg, Ky., native said the testing gives the medics a chance to see how they should set up their aid bag and what items to pack every time they go on a mission.
"They don't get a "no go" if they're missing something," said Leach, who was the officer in charge of the training.
Before the testing, the health care Soldiers had an opportunity to sharpen their medical tools.
Minor said the medics came out every Thursday evening for six weeks to prepare for the testing.
Validating their medical training skills is labor intensive and takes a lot of time, said Hamilton, who was one of the evaluators for the testing. They have to work around the daily medical missions here.
"We can't take all of our medics at once and do the testing and training," said Hamilton, who is attached to the 550th from his unit at Fort Drum, N.Y.
Hamilton said they have to split up the training and testing over a period of time so the health care providers can accomplish ongoing missions that include medical and mass casualty support for the entire FOB, as well as all the primary care things they do like running sick call every morning and afternoon.
Minor said she had seen some trauma cases during her daily duties, but the casualty's treatment had already been started by the combat medic at the scene.
"I"d say most of the medics have been involved in some sort of trauma treatment situation or medical treatment situation where they have been the sole provider and have had to make life-and-death decisions for patients," said Hamilton.
Making correct decisions is so important to Minor that she and her partner Gibson tested twice.
Minor said they had come out the day before and went through each task to make sure they would be prepared for the test.
Gibson, who is from Elkhart, Ind., was confident they would do well.
"I just got out of (advanced individual training) about six months ago," said Gibson. "It's all pretty fresh."