DRAWSKO POMORSKIE, Poland- Above a military training field, the green camouflaged watchtower becomes the perfect vantage point to witness landmine explosions and a hovering medical helicopter, while Polish and American soldiers run intensely to treat wounded soldiers.
U.S. and Polish army troops participated in mass casualty evacuation training at Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area July 11, 2016, as part of Exercise Anakonda 2016 (AN16), a Polish-led, multinational exercise running from June 7-17.
Over 13,000 American troops from the active Army, Army Reserve and National Guard are training alongside 25 other partner nations. The interoperability between these allied nations is at the forefront of the mass casualty simulation training.
While referring to working alongside Polish soldiers Sgt. 1st Class Michael Wilcox, a combat medic assigned to the 10 Engineering Battalion, Ft. Stewart, Georgia said, When it’s time for us to work together in a real world crisis, we’ll already be familiarized with each other’s operating procedures.
Wilcox, a native of Warner Robins, Georgia, said “the simulation brings Polish, Romanian and American medical units together to practice what they’ve learned in a live environment.”
U.S. and Polish soldiers learn valuable skills from each other while participating in AN16.
“It’s important that we test our procedures and capabilities in real combat situations, because in the Polish and U.S. armies have different procedures, but we have to test them in real situations and learn to work together,” said Capt. Marcin Sobotka, from the 25th Medical Support in the Polish Army.
Sobotka said, for units involved in the mass casualty exercise there is an ambush of military vehicles, which simulates casualties. He said the medical units will then go to the front line to evacuate those in need of more serious care.
In addition to the training at Drawsko Pomorskie, the 1st Cavalry hosted a mass casualty at Miroslaweic Airfield, Poland.
The training included treating the three main causes of preventable death airway obstruction, air pressure in the lung cavity, and excessive bleeding from a leg or arm wound.
For the 25th Medical Support group, out of Tomszow Mazowiecki, Poland, this simulation was just one of many benefits of Exercise Anakonda 2016.
“We can improve our medical and logistical skills because Anakonda is preparing us for real combat situations,” said Sobotka.
That positive sentiment about the benefits of the Mass Casualty simulation and Exercise Anakonda 2016 would extend even into the minds less experienced medical soldiers.
“I like working with different nationalities, and bringing our knowledge together helps further my experience and skills,” said Spc. Erin Hurley, a combat medic, from the 10th Engineering Battalion out of Ft. Stewart, Georgia.
Hurley, a native of Buffalo, New York, said she believed the mass casualty training helps get her unit to the right operating level.
“This is a rare opportunity to train alongside other countries overseas, so this is something we’re really enjoying,” said Hurley.