Medics rise to the challenge during MASCAL with First Army OC/Ts at Camp Shelby

By Sgt. 1st Class Rob Frazier, 177th Armored Brigade Public AffairsJuly 31, 2018

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1 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sgt. 1st Class Jessica Douglas, a combat medic and OC/T assigned to 2nd Battalion, 410th Brigade Support Battalion, watches as medics assigned to the 199th Brigade Support Battalion, 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, assess and treat casualties dur... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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2 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Smoke rises in the distance as the enemy executes a preemptive strike against the 199th Brigade Support Battalion, 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team at Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center, July 30. The event is part of XCTC 18-03 which has part... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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3 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sgt. 1st Class Lonnie Jenkins, a combat medic and OC/T assigned to 177th Armored Brigade, observes the Soldiers and medics from the 199th Brigade Support Battalion, 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, offload a casualty during a simulated MASCAL exer... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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4 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Cpt. Isaac Thibodeaux, left, an OC/T assigned to 177th Armored Brigade, observes the firing positions of the 199th Brigade Support Battalion, 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, as they work to defend their location against enemy forces during a simu... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

Camp Shelby, Mississippi (7/30/2018) -- Hope for the best. Prepare for the worst. These eight words are why Soldiers train.

In the early morning hours at Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center, the sight and smell of a possible chemical attack followed by enemy fire put the Soldiers of 199th Brigade Support Battalion on the defense.

In a matter of moments, Louisiana National Guard Soldiers from the 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team began to receive casualties. The Soldiers worked to relay injuries on the battlefield to safety while aggressively deterring the enemy forces.

Over the past two-and-a-half weeks, the battalion has been training with the 177th Armored Brigade's observer, coach/trainers as part of the eXportable Combat Training Capability 18-03 exercise.

This event is part of the culmination of that training. It's where Sgt. 1st Class Jessica Douglas, a combat medic and OC/T assigned to 2nd Battalion, 410th Brigade Support Battalion, and her team carefully watch to see how the National Guard Soldiers apply the lessons learned in this real-world scenario.

"Our process for training involves a crawl, walk, run method," said Douglas. "We work with them and conduct multiple rehearsals; so by the time we get to this point here, they have refined their processes and built a viable standard operating procedure to use as doctrine."

Douglas' team consisted of Sgt. 1st Class Lonnie Jenkins, 177th AR Bde. medical NCOIC, Sgt. 1st Class Lakeisha Deloach, 3rd Battalion, 315th Engineers medical NCOIC Sgt. 1st Class Hopeton Phillips, 2nd Bn., 410th BSB senior medical OC/T.

Their diversity of experiences and shared lessons made them a formidable team which National Guard Lt. Col. Marc Prymek, commander, 199th BSB, said has made an impact on him and his Soldiers.

"These OC/Ts are so professional," said Prymek. "They don't degrade the troops, and they're big on coaching. My team respects them."

As the firing halted, vehicles pulled up to the aid station. It was here where Douglas and the OC/T medics started to observe and take notes as the 199th BSB medics quickly moved to the vehicles to offload the wounded.

Events like this mass casualty exercise simulated potential events which could occur for these troops as they prepare for a possible deployment in the future. In the middle of what might appear to be chaos, where the aid station receives a lot of serious casualties at once, it becomes incumbent upon these professionals to remain calm and work to properly assess and treat their fellow Soldiers.

"I think it's an honor for our team to work with the 199th," said Douglas. "It's been great to see their growth since the exercise began."

XCTC 18-03 concludes this week. The lessons learned this this rotation for the medics of the 199th BSB and the other Soldiers of the "Tiger" Bde. will be put to the test over the next year as the team prepares for an upcoming Joint Readiness Training Center exercise at Fort Polk, Louisiana in 2019.