Posted on 04/23/2009 5:11:19 PM PDT by SandRat
An Iraqi Policeman starts an intravenous catheter during testing day of the three-week medic training course on Forward Operating Base Delta. Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Joe Thompson, Multi-National Division – Center.
FOB DELTA — When the Wasit Provincial Director of Police asked the 41st Fires Brigade for some help training his medics, Task Force Gunner Med stepped up to the plate to provide assistance.
Based on the Army's Combat Life Saver Course, 10 Iraqi Police (IP) medics were recently trained here in triage, the three echelons of tactical field care, treating shock, abdominal wounds, chest wounds, fractures, burns, clearing airways, and breathing and circulation during the three-week course.
"It's very important to increase our information in medical training," said IP Sgt. Deyaa Hasham, IP Special Medical Unit. "We learned a lot of information that is really beneficial to save a lot of lives and we learned a lot about the care under fire and evacuating a casualty. We really learned a lot."
Not only did the course help the IP learn how to be better medics, but it also instilled a greater appreciation for being medics, according to the class leader.
"I believe that my Soldiers have more concern about the mission as they deal with the patients because they learned the important things about triage and they learned a lot of information," said IP Staff Sgt. Karrar Ali, class leader. "The course was perfect."
The instructor for the course was impressed with the IP medics.
"They're excellent; they already know a lot and so the classes have been going really well," said medic Spc. Krystal Smith, 589th Brigade Support Battalion. "The people who do know stuff are willing to share with the people that aren't quite as experienced and they always have answers to my questions."
The last part of the course tested the medics' ability to start an intravenous catheter. Each medic successfully started an IV, which was a critical skill required to graduate the course.
The medics also received all of the materials used in the course so that they can go back to their unit and train other medics as part of the Train-the-Trainer program.
I’m a huge fan but where are you going with this? Medical professionals transgress lines of ideological, philosophical and political lines all the time in their overall mission to save lives. If anything physicians of all nationalities have suffered greatly for upholding the values of their common calling.
Never mind - I know it was another part of your ongoing posting of articles of interest to those of us who love our Armed Forces.
This one, though, made me pay attention to the one group who has to patch them all up despite however they personally feel. Personally I can’t understand an Islamic-raised doctor, regarding Infedels as animals, upholding ethics and treating the “unbelieving”. Yet they do.
Dare I say it - the human tendency toward compassion overrules the impulses of political, religious and ideological impulses. What can be wrong with that?
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