U.S., Iraqi Medics Team for Training

Multi-National Force - Iraq ^ | Master Sgt. David Moore, USA

[SandRat]

Dr. Ali Satter Jabbar, Badhdad Brigade, tests his injection skills during medic training at Forward Operating Base Prosperity, Baghdad. The event is part of a train-the-trainer program held by the U.S. and Iraqi Armies. Photo by Master Sgt. David Moore.

BAGHDAD — Medics from Headquarters and Headquarters Battery of the 1st Battalion, 7th Field Artillery provided a half-dozen Soldiers of the Baghdad Brigade lifesaving skills training in the event they suffer casualties on the battlefield or get injured in an accident.

 

As part of the training program at the brigade’s headquarters, known as Forward Operating Base Honor, three U.S. Army medics conducted a train-the-trainer program so the Iraqi Army can conduct its own training in the future.

 

“What’s nice about this training program is that all Soldiers can perform these tasks on the battlefield,” said Dr. Ali Satter Jabbar, a physician with the Baghdad Brigade.

 

Jabbar, who has only been in the Army about a year, said while the former Iraqi Army did have medics, most Iraqi Army Soldiers had no formal training at all. Basically, they had to rely on treating casualties by doing what they thought may be right, he said.

 

During the classroom portion of training, Jabbar assisted the FOB Prosperity-based Army medics in providing his medical expertise to the class and reinforcing the Army trainers information.

 

Cpl. Cedric Orino, the non-commissioned officer in charge for the training, said the doctor offered a greater medical insight into what the future trainers could expect when training or dealing with injuries.

 

Spc. Gary Combs and Spc. Thomas Pruitt, who were assistant instructors, served as simulated patients during the training phase to let Iraqi medics practice treating patients on a battlefield where there were injuries such as gunshot wounds and burns. Combs went down with simulated injuries, began panicking and simulated going into shock to add realism to the training.

 

Orino and Jabbar observed training and made corrections to insure a life would be saved on a battlefield.

 

“I wanted to give the Iraqis great training by making it as a realistic as possible,” Combs said.

 

(Sgt. Anthony Franklin, HHB, 1ST Battalion, 7th Field Artillery, contributed to this story.)

[SandRat]

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