FORT DRUM, N.Y. -- The Fort Drum - Watertown Composite Squadron, Civil Air Patrol, recently played host to a visit from a squadron north of the border. The 296th Royal Canadian Air Cadet "Wild Goose" Squadron visited Fort Drum for the first time and had an exciting fun-filled week culminating with a joint training exercise.
The training began with medical instruction provided by Spc. Jonathan Norris, Spc. Huy Ngu-yen, Spc. Raul Diaz and Pvt. Kyle Smith-Kunsak, all of them Soldiers from Fort Drum's 1st Brigade Combat Team.
Cadets were taught the importance of patient evaluation and stabilization. Staff Sgt. Kirke Best from the Light Fighters School taught the cadets basic knot-tying techniques.
Officers from the Fort Drum squadron provided instruction on pace count, litter carrying and emergency locater transmitter search techniques using direction finding equipment and a practice ELT.
With the training completed, a team was dispatched to find a simulated downed aircraft. After locating the aircraft, they secured the crash site and called forward a medical team to evaluate and stabilize the casualties. Once the stabilization was complete, a third team was called forward with litters to move the casualties to an evacuation point.
Maj. Patrick Verriet, commander of the Canadian squadron, gave his thanks to everyone who helped make their visit to Fort Drum a success.
The Wild Goose Squadron is a band squadron, and conducting a field training exercise is something that they rarely have a chance to do.
The Fort Drum squadron also set up a tactical operations center and provided on-site field support.
"This was the third cadet squad-ron from Canada that we have hosted, and it is always a fun learning experience for everyone," said Maj. Robert Ormsbee from the Fort Drum squadron.
"I look forward to the next visit from our northern neighbors," he added.
Civil Air Patrol
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