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Teniente de Fragata Oscar Javier Martinez Flores, a Paraguayan Navy first lieutenant and orthopedic trauma surgeon, and Teniente Primero Maria Angelica Gonzalez Torres, a Paraguayan first lieutenant and occupational health physician, provide manual breathing support to an intubated patient at the Bioskills Lab in Lexington, Massachusetts, Aug. 19, 2026. Medical personnel from across the Massachusetts National Guard, Kenya Defense Forces and Paraguayan Armed Forces practiced critical care interventions present during large-scale combat operations (LSCOs).
(Photo Credit: Tech. Sgt. Lauren Ogburn)View original2 / 17
Capt. Phanice Kerubo Nyandusi, a physician in the Kenya Defense Forces, performs a cricothyroidotomy on a medical cadaver at the Boston Bioskills Lab in Lexington, Massachusetts, Aug. 19, 2026. Medical personnel from across the Massachusetts National Guard, Kenya Defense Forces and Paraguayan Armed Forces practiced critical care interventions present during large-scale combat operations (LSCOs). (Air National Guard photo by Technical Sergeant Lauren Ogburn)
(Photo Credit: Tech. Sgt. Lauren Ogburn)View original3 / 17
Teniente de Fragata Andrea Leticia Arias Ruiz, a Paraguayan Navy first lieutenant and forensic medical specialist, performs a finger thoracostomy on a medical cadaver at the Boston Bioskills Lab in Lexington, Massachusetts, Aug. 19, 2026. Medical personnel from across the Massachusetts National Guard, Kenya Defense Forces and Paraguayan Armed Forces practiced critical care interventions present during large-scale combat operations (LSCOs).
(Photo Credit: Tech. Sgt. Lauren Ogburn)View original4 / 17
U.S. Army Pfc. Nkogun Nya Silnodad, a combat medic assigned to the Massachusetts Army National Guard Medical Detachment, performs manual breathing support for an intubated patient at the Bioskills Lab in Lexington, Massachusetts, Aug. 19, 2026. Medical personnel from across the Massachusetts National Guard, Kenya Defense Forces and Paraguayan Armed Forces practiced critical care interventions present during large-scale combat operations (LSCOs).
(Photo Credit: Tech. Sgt. Lauren Ogburn)View original5 / 17
From right to left, U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Patrick Lafond, a clinical provider with the 104th Medical Group, and U.S. Air Force Capt. Sean Doherty, a provider with the 102nd Medical Group, perform an intubation to obtain airway access on a patient at the Boston Bioskills Lab in Lexington, Massachusetts, Aug. 20, 2026. Medical personnel from across the Massachusetts National Guard, Kenya Defense Forces and Paraguayan Armed Forces practiced critical care interventions present during large-scale combat operations (LSCOs).
(Photo Credit: Tech. Sgt. Lauren Ogburn)View original6 / 17
Soldiers and Airmen from the Massachusetts National Guard, Paraguayan Armed Forces, and Kentan Defence Forces participated in critical care intervention training at Boston BioSkills Lab in Lexington, Mass, August 19-20, 2026. Instructed by Patriot Tactical Consulting LLC, the training focused on thoracic interventions, hemorrhage control, intraosseous vascular access, suturing, and more. During the training, students were taught and trained on cadavers, bringing an increased level of realism.
(Photo Credit: Sgt. 1st Class Steven Eaton)View original7 / 17
Soldiers and Airmen from the Massachusetts National Guard, Paraguayan Armed Forces, and Kentan Defence Forces participated in critical care intervention training at Boston BioSkills Lab in Lexington, Mass, August 19-20, 2026. Instructed by Patriot Tactical Consulting LLC, the training focused on thoracic interventions, hemorrhage control, intraosseous vascular access, suturing, and more. During the training, students were taught and trained on cadavers, bringing an increased level of realism.
(Photo Credit: Sgt. 1st Class Steven Eaton)View original8 / 17
Soldiers and Airmen from the Massachusetts National Guard, Paraguayan Armed Forces, and Kentan Defence Forces participated in critical care intervention training at Boston BioSkills Lab in Lexington, Mass, August 19-20, 2026. Instructed by Patriot Tactical Consulting LLC, the training focused on thoracic interventions, hemorrhage control, intraosseous vascular access, suturing, and more. During the training, students were taught and trained on cadavers, bringing an increased level of realism.
(Photo Credit: Sgt. 1st Class Steven Eaton)View original9 / 17
Soldiers and Airmen from the Massachusetts National Guard, Paraguayan Armed Forces, and Kentan Defence Forces participated in critical care intervention training at Boston BioSkills Lab in Lexington, Mass, August 19-20, 2026. Instructed by Patriot Tactical Consulting LLC, the training focused on thoracic interventions, hemorrhage control, intraosseous vascular access, suturing, and more. During the training, students were taught and trained on cadavers, bringing an increased level of realism.
(Photo Credit: Sgt. 1st Class Steven Eaton)View original10 / 17
Soldiers and Airmen from the Massachusetts National Guard, Paraguayan Armed Forces, and Kentan Defence Forces participated in critical care intervention training at Boston BioSkills Lab in Lexington, Mass, August 19-20, 2026. Instructed by Patriot Tactical Consulting LLC, the training focused on thoracic interventions, hemorrhage control, intraosseous vascular access, suturing, and more. During the training, students were taught and trained on cadavers, bringing an increased level of realism.
(Photo Credit: Sgt. 1st Class Steven Eaton)View original11 / 17
Soldiers and Airmen from the Massachusetts National Guard, Paraguayan Armed Forces, and Kentan Defence Forces participated in critical care intervention training at Boston BioSkills Lab in Lexington, Mass, August 19-20, 2026. Instructed by Patriot Tactical Consulting LLC, the training focused on thoracic interventions, hemorrhage control, intraosseous vascular access, suturing, and more. During the training, students were taught and trained on cadavers, bringing an increased level of realism.
(Photo Credit: Sgt. 1st Class Steven Eaton)View original12 / 17
LEXINGTON, Mass – Soldiers and Airmen from the Massachusetts National Guard, Paraguayan Armed Forces, and Kentan Defence Forces participated in critical care intervention training at Boston BioSkills Lab in Lexington, Mass, August 19-20, 2026. Instructed by Patriot Tactical Consulting LLC, the training focused on thoracic interventions, hemorrhage control, intraosseous vascular access, suturing, and more. During the training, students were taught and trained on cadavers, bringing an increased level of realism.
(Photo Credit: Sgt. 1st Class Steven Eaton)View original13 / 17
Soldiers and Airmen from the Massachusetts National Guard, Paraguayan Armed Forces, and Kentan Defence Forces participated in critical care intervention training at Boston BioSkills Lab in Lexington, Mass, August 19-20, 2026. Instructed by Patriot Tactical Consulting LLC, the training focused on thoracic interventions, hemorrhage control, intraosseous vascular access, suturing, and more. During the training, students were taught and trained on cadavers, bringing an increased level of realism.
(Photo Credit: Sgt. 1st Class Steven Eaton)View original14 / 17
Soldiers and Airmen from the Massachusetts National Guard, Paraguayan Armed Forces, and Kentan Defence Forces participated in critical care intervention training at Boston BioSkills Lab in Lexington, Mass, August 19-20, 2026. Instructed by Patriot Tactical Consulting LLC, the training focused on thoracic interventions, hemorrhage control, intraosseous vascular access, suturing, and more. During the training, students were taught and trained on cadavers, bringing an increased level of realism.
(Photo Credit: Sgt. 1st Class Steven Eaton)View original15 / 17
Soldiers and Airmen from the Massachusetts National Guard, Paraguayan Armed Forces, and Kentan Defence Forces participated in critical care intervention training at Boston BioSkills Lab in Lexington, Mass, August 19-20, 2026. Instructed by Patriot Tactical Consulting LLC, the training focused on thoracic interventions, hemorrhage control, intraosseous vascular access, suturing, and more. During the training, students were taught and trained on cadavers, bringing an increased level of realism.
(Photo Credit: Sgt. 1st Class Steven Eaton)View original16 / 17
Soldiers and Airmen from the Massachusetts National Guard, Paraguayan Armed Forces, and Kentan Defence Forces participated in critical care intervention training at Boston BioSkills Lab in Lexington, Mass, August 19-20, 2026. Instructed by Patriot Tactical Consulting LLC, the training focused on thoracic interventions, hemorrhage control, intraosseous vascular access, suturing, and more. During the training, students were taught and trained on cadavers, bringing an increased level of realism.
(Photo Credit: Sgt. 1st Class Steven Eaton)View original17 / 17
Soldiers and Airmen from the Massachusetts National Guard, Paraguayan Armed Forces, and Kentan Defence Forces participated in critical care intervention training at Boston BioSkills Lab in Lexington, Mass, August 19-20, 2026. Instructed by Patriot Tactical Consulting LLC, the training focused on thoracic interventions, hemorrhage control, intraosseous vascular access, suturing, and more. During the training, students were taught and trained on cadavers, bringing an increased level of realism.
(Photo Credit: Sgt. 1st Class Steven Eaton)View original
LEXINGTON, Mass. — Medics, nurses and physicians from the Massachusetts National Guard, Paraguayan Armed Forces and Kenyan Defense Force participated in critical care interventions training at Boston Bioskills Lab in Lexington, Massachusetts, Aug. 19-20. The event equipped medical personnel with the skills and knowledge to manage complex injuries they may encounter during large-scale combat operations (LSCO).
Over two days, participants worked with cadavers to perform lifesaving procedures, including advanced airway management, thoracic interventions, hemorrhage control, intraosseous vascular access and suturing. Cadaver-based training increases procedural confidence by giving participants a unique opportunity to visualize and work with anatomical structures that cannot be replicated with conventional simulation.
U.S. Army Pfc. Nkogun Nya Silnodad, a combat medic assigned to the Massachusetts Army National Guard Medical Detachment, recently graduated from her combat medic training and quickly raised her hand to attend the training.
“We did some of these procedures at medic school, but it was done on simulated dummies,” Nya Silnodad said. “Being able to do things like intubation and cricothyroidotomy on a real person and seeing the actual anatomy of the airway was a really cool experience.”
Patriot Tactical Consulting LLC provided instruction to the participants and began by presenting findings and lessons learned from Ukraine. Instructors explained how medical treatment and critical care interventions required in today’s LSCOs change rapidly and that tactical combat casualty care (TCCC) proficiency is essential for troops closest to the front line. To keep pace with change, Patriot Tactical regularly reviews and revises its curriculum.
“Bringing together the Massachusetts Army and Air National Guard alongside our State Partnership Program medical counterparts exemplifies the highest standards of joint readiness,” U.S. Army Maj. Jessica Prendiville, Massachusetts Army National Guard clinical training officer, said. “Partnering with civilian instructors, who are current and former military, ensures healthcare professionals across our force master complex, life-saving interventions in a high-fidelity environment.”
This year, eight medical professionals, four from the Paraguayan Armed Forces and four from the Kenyan Defense Forces, joined the course as part of the State Partnership Program. Massachusetts partners with Kenya and Paraguay to advance the State Partnership Program’s mission to increase the readiness of U.S. and partner forces to meet emerging challenges.
“I appreciate the way the National Guard trains personnel – training for the battlefield is something we are lacking a little bit in Paraguay,” said Teniente Primero Maria Angelica Gonzalez Torres, Paraguayan Air Force first lieutenant and occupational health physician. “All of the procedures we did are important for my role in the Air Force. I hadn’t done an intubation before, but one day I might have to, so being able to practice is very impactful.”
A native of Cameroon, Nya Silnodad joined the Massachusetts Army National Guard to challenge herself and show her appreciation for the opportunity to live in the United States.
“Not a lot of people get to do this – less than 1% of people in the United States get to serve in the military,” she said. “When I was moving here, I didn’t really know all of this could be possible in such a short time. I’m honored to have opportunities like this and to share my experience with others, so I encourage everyone out there, if you want something, go for it.”
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