Trained combat medics key to readiness, survival

The key to survival on the battlefield is a trained and ready force.

Providing a globally ready medical force is one of Regional Health Command-Pacific's top four priorities. As the lead Army medical command in the Pacific, Regional Health Command-Pacific emphasizes medical skills training to enhance the readiness of our forces.

The 68W, health care specialist, more commonly known as a combat medic, is the Army's second largest military occupational specialty. While every medical asset is critical to the delivery of medical care, when lifesaving skills are required on the battlefield, the combat medic is typically the first medical asset to respond.

As the senior enlisted combat medic in the Pacific, I am committed to ensuring our Soldiers possess the necessary skills needed to answer our nation's call. Soldiers assigned to Regional Health Command-Pacific must be prepared to deliver quality care that supports the warfighter on and off the battlefield.

The investment in our combat medics is crucial. They are the critical link to sustaining and keeping our wounded alive until they can be evacuated to the next level of care either at a combat support hospital or a medical center.

That is why, here in the Pacific, we are enhancing our training platforms. The investment we as leaders make in training our cadre will improve the survival rate of wounded Soldiers exponentially.

Recently, Tripler Army Medical Center, in Hawaii, one of Regional Health Command-Pacific's medical treatment facilities in the Pacific region held, a casualty evacuation training exercise that involved combat medics preparing a casualty for air transport. This type of training helps ensure that when the time comes, the combat medic is confident and ready to provide the care needed to get the wounded to safety.

Madigan Army Medical Center, located at Joint Base Lewis-McChord is well-known throughout the Army for its 16,050 square-foot, state-of-the-art Andersen Simulation Center. With its cutting-edge capabilities, the center provides military and civilian medical personnel with a variety of real-world training scenarios using advanced simulation technology. Our training platforms in the region allow us to validate the emergency medical skills of our medics, provide them immediate feedback on their performance and ensure the medics have the confidence not only in their skills but their equipment too.

Leaders at the region and subordinate command levels must also continuously look for ways to enhance the readiness of our warriors. As a result, Regional Health Command-Pacific's training scenarios have evolved to address the unique environments found throughout the Pacific region. For example, jungle penetration extraction scenarios have been incorporated due to the extreme terrain and triple canopy jungles that can be found throughout the Pacific area of responsibility.

The skills learned in the recent training exercise at Tripler Army Medical Center and Madigan as well as other events held across the Regional Health Command-Pacific in Alaska, Korea and Japan, ensure that warriors in the Pacific always stand ready to conserve the fighting strength.

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