Highlander medics receive real-world training on field injuries

Spc. Marcos Del Valle, 4th Bde. 1st Armored Division

Medics with the 4th Special Troops Battalion proved themselves in the first week of the 4th Brigade, 1st Armored Division platoon certification exercises by caring for Soldiers facing extreme cold weather conditions.

After an initial disinfection of the wound, Spc. Misty Rederstorf prepares an anesthetic for Staff Sgt. Robert Sacchitella, who required a suture after injuring his leg on concertina wire Feb. 2.

“With over 2,700 Soldiers in the field, the actual number of cold related injuries was five, with three returning to duty and two kept back for precautionary measures. This is a testament to our junior leaders, the young sergeant, who is checking their Soldiers, and our great medics who take care of us,” said Col. Scott McKean, commander of 4th Brigade 1st Armored Division.

Taking the opportunity to train, 1st Lt. Joseph Bongiorno, a physician assistant with 4th Special Troops Battalion explains some of the principles of setting a good suture for the unit’s combat medics before performing one on an actual injury.

The Medics in their Aid Tent were ready for anything to come their way. Things didn’t stay quiet for long, as a Soldier came in at noon Feb. 2 with an injury needing a suture.
Staff Sgt. Robert Sachitella, a Soldier assigned to A Company from Lancaster, S.C. had cut himself deeply in the center of his left shin.

“I wasn’t paying attention and walked right into a concertina wire barrier,” said Sachitella.

The Medic treating him was Spc. Misty Rederstorf, from Cumberland Ind., who was being overseen by the physician assistant, 1st Lt. Joseph Bongiorno.

The procedure started with the cleaning of the wound, followed by numbing it.
“The next thing we do is begin to reseal the open wound,” said Rederstorf.

Several of the company’s medics were there in observance for the purpose of training.

Fort Bliss Commanding General Maj. Gen. Dana Pittard visited the Aid station the following day escorted by 4th STB Commander Lt. Col. Samuel Hales.
Hales insisted that the STB medics were the best medical team on all of Fort Bliss Texas.

“If I were to receive a combat-related injury, I would feel confident in my medics’ capable hands,” said Hales.

The 4th STB’s medics are trained to provide first aid and frontline trauma care on the battlefield.
They are also responsible for providing continuing medical care in the absence of a readily available physician, including care for disease and battle injury.

Combat medics are normally co-located with the Soldiers they serve in order to easily move with the troops and monitor ongoing health.

 

2-13 CAV Conducts Bradley Gunnery Skills Testing

The 2nd Squadron, 13th Cavalry Regiment conducted Bradley Gunnery Skills Testing (GST) at the squadron motor pool Oct.18-21.  Working together, each Bradley Crew tested on proper utilization of their equipment and knowledge of troubleshooting the weapons platform. 

Each crew rotated through several stations to pass tests on different skills.  The stations were: 1) threat vehicle identification, 2) ammunition identification, 3) clear disassemble, assemble, perform a function check, load and perform immediate action on the M240C machine gun, 4) load and unload AP (armor piercing) and HE (high explosive) ready box, 5) load, apply immediate action, and unload feeder on the M242 25mm Machine Gun, 6) crew fire evacuation drills, 7) crew rollover drills, 8) misfire procedures on the 25mm main gun, 9) misfire procedures on a TOW, remove a misfired TOW, and lastly 10) remove/install the M242 25mm Main Gun.

  “The GST allows us to evaluate a Soldier’s ability to troubleshoot problems quickly and efficiently,” said Sgt. William Dayhoff, one of the primary evaluators from Troop A of Haggerstown, Md. “This is extremely important when your Battle Buddy’s life is in your hands.”

Pvt. Jim Perez, a Soldier from B Troop of Phoenix, Ariz. concurred with Dayhoff. 

“The GST is proficient hands-on training.  The more practice we get, the better we are at troubleshooting the equipment,” said Perez.  “The test puts more pressure on us to simulate having the stresses of a combat environment.”

“GST allows the squadron commander and other senior leaders of the SQDN to evaluate the progress and knowledge of the Soldiers on their equipment.  To me there is nothing better than knowing your wingman is capable of properly utilizing his weapons systems when needed,” said Sgt. 1st Class Alex Richardson, the squadron Master Gunner, of Charleston, SC.

The squadron is wrapping up the GST in order to go to the field in the next couple weeks to shoot the different live firing exercises to qualify the Bradley crews.

 

“Cobras” challenge Soldiers at all levels with Leaders Reaction Course

On Sept. 2, Soldiers from Company C, 123rd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, conducted the Fort Bliss Obstacle and Leaders Reaction Course.

The purpose of the training event was to challenge Soldiers physically and mentally while helping to strengthen the unit’s team building. The obstacle course started with the Soldiers racing up through parallel bars, then moving over a chain ladder, next climbing over three short walls and four log post steps, maneuvering over a rolling log bridge, log hurdles, and then hanging across long steel supported beams to cross to the other side.

Next Soldiers had to bear crawl under barbed wire, climb a twenty-foot high rope, scale a ten-foot high wall, and climb over a three-log fence.

The end of the course consisted of hopping across log stumps without touching the ground, running up and down a fifteen-foot high ramp, crossing monkey bars and a rope-laddered fence, and finally crawling through a tunnel to the finish line.

The company established eight teams and each team competed to get the fastest time through the obstacle course from start to finish.

Afterwards, individual competitions began, and Sgt. Nickolas Powell, a laboratory technician, was the winner with an overall time of 7 minutes, 4 seconds.

Soldiers enjoyed the opportunity to challenge themselves and their fellow Soldiers in a physical obstacle.

“The course was mentally challenging.  The equipment was functional.  The Soldiers enjoyed the water portion as the fear of getting wet made them think twice about the choice of method.  I feel like the course needs a hefty risk assessment.  Great team building tool,” said Sgt. Kenyon Elder, a pharmacy technician.

After the company completed the obstacle course they moved over to the Leaders Reaction Course (LRC). The Leaders Reaction Course is a team event that requires Soldiers to negotiate a specific obstacle in a certain amount of time. At the beginning of each obstacle the observer controllers appoint a team leader and provide him or her with a variety of items and specific instructions on how to complete the event. The Team Leader will then assemble his or her team to discuss a plan to move tactically across the obstacle.

The overall goal was not only to navigate the obstacles but also to help one another out to ensure that no one was left behind at the completion of the obstacle, something that the culture of Company C., and all Soldiers within the 123rd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division emphasize every day.  

In order to be an effective fighting force, every Soldier needs to be disciplined and confident that they can count on the Soldier to their left and right.  

Pfc. Tenia Smallwood, a patient administration specialist said, “I thought the Leaders Reaction Course was great training.  Not only did we get physical and mental training, we also learned to trust one another.  A lot of training we do teaches teamwork, but not too many require the trust that we needed for the LRC.”

The obstacle course and the Leaders Reaction Course was definitely a training event that got Soldiers out of their comfort zone but taught the Soldiers of Company C., 123rd BSB, something about themselves and each other. 

At the conclusion of the day, Sgt. Dorothy Walker, a medic and treatment platoon sergeant said, “Great team building tool, it was fun and challenging.  It seemed impossible at first, but with some thought and teamwork, it came together fairly well.  Critical thinking skills had to be utilized.  It was an awesome live training event.”

 

Distribution Duo talk training

SSG Victor L. Medina, Distribution Platoon Sergeant, from San Juan, Puerto Rico and 1LT Erika Porter, Distribution Platoon Leader, from Atlanta, Georgia make up the dynamic duo of the Distribution Platoon.

Outstanding leadership is what every Soldier requires to remain safe and reactive in all situations. The vigorous training plan and battle drills planned and run by this duo sets the pace for Falcon Company, 121st Brigade Support Battalion attached to 1-77 AR “Steel Tigers.”

“Tough training and high standards are key to battlefield survival,” stated SSG Medina.

Soldiers sometimes get disgruntled when they are called to formation to perform another battle drill they have performed a thousand times, but after each event, Soldiers hold their heads high and feel confident they can accomplish every mission thrown at them by this outstanding duo.

1LT Porter stated, “having a quality Platoon Sergeant is the key to the fundamental success on every mission, not only does he train the Soldiers he teaches and mentors me daily. In Officer Development Schools, Platoon Leaders are taught to trust and listen to the guidance and criticism offered from the Platoon Sergeant; SSG Medina is the ideal Platoon Sergeant to have on our team.”

The Quartermaster and Transportation Soldiers of Falcon Company’s Distribution platoon are in good hands.