FORT DRUM, N.Y. (May 28, 2015) -- To a Soldier wounded in the field or downrange, there may be nothing more comforting than the sight of a combat medic running to his or her side and the sound of a medevac helicopter approaching in the distance.
Army medics are an elite group of Soldiers -- multitaskers whose purpose is to ensure their comrades can complete the mission, secure in the knowledge that trained professionals are standing by to care for them in the event of an emergency.
Brian Peplinski, a former first sergeant with 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, and a contract employee with the Fort Drum Bridgewater-Vaccaro Medical Simulation Training Center, understands the importance of providing excellent training so that these medics -- both those on the ground and in the air -- are ready to react to any situation and save lives.
From the start of his career, Peplinski recognized that to be the best flight medic possible, he needed to study hard and keep himself in peak physical condition. He said it was also important to foster close relationships with the other members of his unit.
"As a medic, you are supporting everyone out on the range," he said. "When you're a flight medic, everyone else in the aircraft is supporting you. They have to keep that aircraft flying if something happens. You all have to be well-trained, and I enjoyed that training aspect."
His first duty assignment was Bamberg, Germany, where he witnessed the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of eastern European Communism. While stationed in San Antonio as a shift leader in the emergency room at Brooke Army Medical Center, Peplinski treated patients returning from the Gulf War.
From 1993 to 1998, he was assigned to operations with the European Regional Command at Landstuhl Army Base, Germany. This position was fast-paced and intense, Peplinski said.
"We supported medical operations for the evacuation of the Soldiers from the 'Black Hawk Down' incident and received them for treatment in the ER," he said. "I did a lot of deployment work during Bosnia and Kosovo -- sending medical teams to respond. If there was an incident during that time, we were probably involved."
The European Regional Command provided support for the bombings at Dhahran, a military base in Saudi Arabia, and Dar es Salaam, the site of the U.S. embassy in Tanzania, as well as the bombing of the USS Cole in 2000.
Peplinski's first deployment was to Sarajevo, Bosnia, in 1999. He arrived on the second day of the air war in Kosovo. Although he said the events he witnessed during this deployment were extremely sobering, the real-world deployment experience it provided taught him several things.
"The stress level during deployment was very different," he said. "One of the things you have to learn as a medic is to complete the steps and try to keep the emotion out of it."
His experience as a flight medic also would provide him a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. While stationed at Fort Lewis, Wash., Peplinski helped to design and test the M1133 Stryker medical evacuation vehicle in 2002.
"I was the senior medic for the Stryker Brigade when they were standing it up," he said. "I worked with the team that was creating what they called the Beta model."
The vehicle, Peplinski said, was an entirely new concept intended to improve upon the Humvee ambulances currently being used. Once the exterior of the vehicle was designed, Peplinski worked with the team to determine how best to outfit the interior.
"The space is pretty similar to the back of a Black Hawk and the treatment space is similar to what you'd encounter, too," he said. "There's an electronic litter lift system that makes it easier to load the patients into the vehicle. There are compartments under the seats. Really, all the space is utilized the best it can be."
After helping to develop the Beta model, Peplinski traveled across the country with the team to test the vehicles. The real test came when he deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2003 to 2004.
"We were the first unit to deploy with the vehicles, and they performed really well," he said.
Upon returning from downrange, Peplinski was part of the after action review, writing about his experiences, identifying necessary modifications and developing a manual for the vehicle's use.
"As far as military vehicles for the evacuation platform, this is one of the best," he said. "The only thing that can beat it is a Black Hawk."
In 2004, Peplinski made the list for master sergeant. Over the course of the next few years, he served as first sergeant for two companies within the 501st Force Support Battalion in Germany. In 2007, he returned to the United States, where he served as senior enlisted adviser -- a sergeant major-level position -- for the Kenner Army Medical Department Activity at Fort Lee, Va.
Peplinski's final duty station while enlisted was Fort Drum, where he spent three years as first sergeant for C Company, 3rd General Aviation Support Battalion, 10th Aviation Regiment, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade.
"I really enjoyed being a first sergeant," he said. "There is so much good that you can do -- making sure Soldiers train hard and helping them through tough situations."
Sometimes, those tough situations included treating friends and comrades. That, Peplinski said, is something that is extremely trying on even the most seasoned flight medic.
"When you see a Soldier from your unit wounded, you have to be able to disassociate in a way," he said. "You have to stop concentrating on who that person is and treat the patient the way you have trained and practiced."
In cases like those, Sgt. 1st Class Brian Cammack, who was assigned to C Company 3-10 GSAB, at the time, said it was Peplinski's leadership that inspired his Soldiers and got them through these tough times.
"As the company first sergeant, he always led from the front, put Soldiers first and led the company through a successful deployment, which brought just over 4,400 Soldiers home from the front lines," Cammack said.
His integrity, leadership and desire to serve his country also impacted his two adult sons.
"My son David is assigned to the Ranger Battalion at Fort Benning, Ga., and Steven is a Tactical Air Control Party specialist for the Air Force."
In 2012, Peplinski faced a difficult decision. He had made the list for sergeant major, while he was already in the process of preparing his retirement documents.
"I was honored, but I decided I was never going to get to work with a better unit (than C Company, 3-10 GSAB), so I dropped my retirement packet. I left on a high note."
Knowing that he still wanted to be involved in training Soldiers, Peplinski began searching for a new position.
"I met Ken Walters, one of the instructors at the MSTC, and he said, 'hey, we've got a position open here now.' "The pace (at the MSTC) was slower at first -- I don't think the word was out there yet about all that we had to offer," he said. "That has definitely changed. Last year we put through about 8,500 Soldiers. We've built a quality program here -- we provide a better block of instruction than any other MSTC that's out there."
As a result, military medics and civilian medical professionals travel from all over the country to train at Fort Drum's MSTC.
Ben Jaquay, Ken Walters, Jessica Sweet and adjunct instructor Jerry Shore come from different medical backgrounds, and all provide incredible instruction for the MSTC's course offerings, Peplinski said. Administrative professional Kathy Korzuch is responsible for maintaining certification and licensure records.
Capt. Ryan Murphy serves as the MSTC's officer in charge, and Sgt. Brandon Ison assists with every training event at the facility. Peplinski said he was pleasantly surprised to have the opportunity to work with Cammack again, as he is now the noncommissioned officer in charge of the facility.
Peplinski said that the combined experiences and specialties of each of the employees at the MSTC make it possible to provide such excellent training for such a large number of Soldiers and civilians.
"I think one of the things that makes us successful is that we've seen units train for years," he said. "We provide a quality block of instruction, and we also focus on making that instruction as realistic as possible. The validation rooms -- where the lights are low and there's a lot of noise and low visibility -- they give a much better idea of what it's like to work as a medic in the field rather than just working in a classroom."
Although Peplinski said he has enjoyed working at the MSTC immensely, he is preparing to move on to the next challenge in his life.
Shortly after retiring from the Army, Peplinski married Mariya Kristeva, a Soldier with 1st Brigade Combat Team who has since separated from the military. Kristeva recently completed her pre-medical studies, and Peplinski encouraged her to take the next big step.
"I told her -- 'you could make a fantastic NCO, or you could do something entirely different and see where it takes you.'"
In July, the couple will leave for Florida, where Kristeva will attend the University of Central Florida to pursue a degree in medicine. Peplinski, always looking to further his knowledge, intends to get a second master's degree in modeling and simulation.
"It involves using models and mannequins and allows for improved training," he said. "These models simulate a casualty and allow people to train without working on real people. The field has a huge future right now and it's a pretty specific niche.
"We plan to return to the area someday," Peplinski said. "We both love Sackets Harbor, as does our daughter Anna. I'm going to miss the area, and I'm really going to miss my job, but I see myself working in the training and teaching field again someday in the future."
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