Exercise at Fort Hunter Liggett gives medics real-world experience, too

By Spc. Robert A. Van Tuinen (91st Training Division)July 16, 2012

Medics man Army Hospital
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, Calif. - The 6250th U.S. Army Hospital from Fort Lewis, Wash. provided the medical support to service members participating in Warrior Exercise 91 12-01 for June 9 - 29 here.

The Warrior Exercise is a premier reserve training exercise and is the training ground for many units before they deploy overseas.

In field training exercises, there are two types of injuries. One is the simulated kind, which involves either a card or the trainer telling soldiers what injury has occurred. At times this includes role players wearing gruesome make-up showing the injuries. The other is real injuries or illnesses that come from being in the field training. The 6250th is focusing on just that during Warrior Exercise 91 12-01.

Sgt. 1st Class Don Randolph is the non-commissioned officer in charge of the 6250th's Troop Medical Clinic on Camp Milpitas, a base camp used during the exercise. Randolph said, "What I got from the Operation Order is that we are going to be involved in the real world stuff and the other medical units were going to be involved in the [simulated] casualties."

Randolph also went on to explain why teaching soldiers in his clinic is important. Medical units who are out in the field help each other by sharing supplies. Units can have surpluses of some items and others can be short.

The Camp Milpitas TMC has two sick call times. After the first sick call, Randolph has medical personnel go out into the camp. These Soldiers check sanitary conditions, give out foot powder and Chap Stick as well as teach about heat injuries to make sure soldiers are drinking plenty of water.

"Ninety-nine percent of what you see when you go overseas is all sick call," said Randolph, showing the importance of TMC work.

The TMC work teaches soldiers how to properly assess and document real world injuries in an environment such as is seen overseas.

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