Soldiers enhance mission readiness with congressional staff audience

By Maria Betzold, 1ST INF. DIV. POSTApril 22, 2015

Soldiers enhance mission readiness with congressional staff audience
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Soldiers from the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division participate in a medical training exercise at the Fort Riley Mission Training Complex April 8. Staff members from congressional offices witness capabilities employed in the tra... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Soldiers enhance mission readiness with congressional staff audience
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Soldiers from the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division participate in a medical training exercise at the Fort Riley Mission Training Complex April 8. Staff members from congressional offices witness capabilities employed in the tra... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT RILEY, Kan. - Soldiers from the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team executed a medical training exercise at the Mission Training Complex here April 8. Staff members from congressional

offices were able to witness capabilities employed in the local training exercise.

The exercise took place at the Medical Simulations Training Center Situational Training Exercise Lane, which is designed to train medics and renew their certifications. The Officer in Charge was Capt. Robert Churchill, 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division.

He said the training sets the foundation for what Soldiers need to know in the battlefield. They need to know how to sustain injuries and care for other Soldiers while under attack.

"Regardless of the injury, whether it's a simple concussion down to more complex amputations, our Soldiers have to be able to react under fire and under the stress of combat in order to ensure our Soldiers get the care they need and evacuate properly," Churchill said.

Staff Sgt. Brian Lawrence, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Irwin Army Community Hospital, Medical Department Activity, said the training witnessed during the exercise emphasizes tactical combat casualty care.

"The training is designed to mitigate casualties on the battlefield by emphasizing treatment at the proper time," Lawrence said.

As a medic, Soldiers support their infantry on the battlefield.

"We don't often get to work on simulated casualties," said Spc. Candice Sisk, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division. "Typically we don't have the assets as in the pyro, we don't have the rounds, and we don't get to play with blood and helicopters. Having that accessibility made it more true to life."

Sisk said she enjoyed using her training to complete the exercise and forgot there was an audience.

"I was more focused on my patient -- making sure I was treating them like l would treat one of the guys to the left or right of me," Sisk said.