Fake blood, real effects

CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait -- Soldiers of Company C, 204th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, performed advanced medical training at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Jan. 3.

The training allowed the Soldiers of "Charlie Med" the chance to evaluate casualties under high-stress situations and to test their ability to think in the heat of the moment.

"If anything happens in this brigade, we need to ensure the medical personnel inside the BSB are capable of taking care of whatever the mission dictates," said Staff Sgt. Marcus Reid, Company C, 204th BSB, health care specialist. "We never know what's going to happen now, tomorrow or next month, so we need to ensure that we don't become complacent and that we stay sharp on our medical tasks."

The advanced training consisted of life-like manikins with realistic wounds that simulated what a Soldier would see in combat.

"With all those capabilities, it adds stress and raises the bar as far as urgency and proficiency," said Reid. "Hopefully the pressure was over-the-top, so that when the real pressure comes, they're accustomed to working at a higher level so they can work properly and efficiently."

Other parts of that pressure included a simulated nighttime scenario with only headlamps for light, and strobe lights, a fog machine and war movie soundtracks for effects.

"I don't see these types of injuries in my job, so to me it was a shock," said Pvt. Kashia Duncan, dental specialist, Company C, 204th BSB. "But I learned to stay calm no matter what, always recheck my interventions and always make sure my patients are taken care of."

Duncan also said she thought it's important for all Soldiers to have this type of training because they never know when they'll be in battle.

"Knowledge that you can't apply means nothing, but if you can apply it you'll be effective," said Reid.