FORT HOOD, Texas - Despite the incoming mortars, tactically placed improvised explosive devices and small arms fire from hostile enemies, the American troops defended their forward operating base.
Simultaneously, they came to the aid of wounded troops, providing care under fire, which progressed to casualty field care. Later, a medical evacuation by a UH-60 Black Hawk aided several of the more than 20 Soldiers "wounded in battle."
Troops assigned to 27th Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division participated in mass casualty training during the unit's field training exercise, here, April 15.
"I think the Soldiers did outstanding during this training," said 2nd Lt. Douglas Kulman, the C Company platoon leader. The Plano, Texas, native directed troops carrying wounded patients in the aid station during the mission. "Each of them knew their role and they executed their jobs perfectly."
After the barrage of mortars and the enemy fired died down, more troops were able to assist the combat medics in picking up patients from the point of injury, providing treatment and transportation in route to the aid station. Critically injured patients were then taken to the medical evacuation site so they could be taken to a nearby hospital.
"The Soldiers did great in practicing and preparing for this in garrison and during the brigade field exercise," said Staff Sgt. Kristal Wise, an emergency care non-commissioned officer. Prior to joining the unit, the Miami native was on the inside of a UH-60 Black Hawk "MEDEVAC" working with the medical evacuation personnel.
"Today they just brought it all together, and I was very pleased at how they worked well under the pressure and worked through the events," said Wise. "This training makes me feel good, because this is my first deployment, and having Soldiers that are under me that are experienced and work well under pressure make me feel good as a leader going into this deployment."
The Soldiers demonstrated their skill and ability to work as a team by quickly getting casualties from the point of injury to the medical evacuation site, despite the challenges placed on them.
"In my opinion, the stressors of the training event were the most challenging part of the exercise," said Sgt. Brenda Goode, a combat medic from Comanche, Texas. "Your body and mind have to learn to react to those stressors here before we deploy to Iraq."
"It makes for a quicker casualty evacuation, you know exactly what you need to do, where you need to be," said Goode.
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