Posted on 01/10/2009 10:08:41 AM PST by SandRat
FORWARD OPERATING BASE CALDWELL, Iraq – A 10th Combat Aviation Brigade medic with Iraqi policemen assigned to his team took the opportunity to teach the local law enforcers some life-savings skills at Forward Operating Base Caldwell Dec. 29 through Jan. 4.
Staff Sgt. Derek Sheppard, senior company medic, learned the Iraqi Police receive no formal first-aid training while some IP’s were assigned to the Pathfinders of Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 10th CAB. Once he realized the need, Sheppard took it upon himself to offer the training during down time between missions.
“Being a medic, it is my job to ensure the members of my team are all trained on the basics of first aid,” Sheppard explained, saying that if the IPs were going to be a part of the Pathfinder team, they should have basic buddy-aid capabilities.
“I started out with how to control bleeding and progressed to how to apply a tourniquet,” said Sheppard.
IPs don’t usually handle first-aid issues. IP 2nd Lt. Muhammid Usef Hamid said they are forced to rely on outside help if one of them is wounded, which is why the IPs appreciated the potential life-saving lessons.
“We don't normally get this training,” Hamid said, “but because of excellent training from Pathfinders we are better. We are stronger and can fight insurgents with confidence.”
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