Posted on 04/13/2010 5:53:32 PM PDT by SandRat
JOINT SECURITY STATION CHILAT – In a war zone, the ability to quickly transport injured personnel for treatment is critical for all, but especially for those serving at remote forts along the Iran-Iraq border in northern Maysan province.
To that end, members of U.S. Border Transition Team Phoenix and the flight crew and medics of Company C, 3rd Battalion, 238th Aviation Regiment, recently assisted their Iraqi medical partners by providing basic MEDEVAC training to members of the 2nd and 3rd Battalions, 11th Brigade, Iraqi Department of Border Enforcement.
The U.S. team, attached to the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, conducted the crucial training here – where U.S. and Iraqi forces work and live side-by-side – at the request of the 11th Bde., DBE commander.
Sgt. 1st Class Jimmy Moore, BTT Phoenix medic and a native of Houston, Texas, assisted in the teaching of several techniques, including 9-line MEDEVAC transmission, litter carries and improvised litter construction.
Moore, a veteran of multiple combat tours, emphasized the importance of remaining calm during emergency situations.
One of the main training objectives was to familiarize Iraqi DBE Soldiers with both hot and cold helicopter loading procedures, so that the first time they are exposed to working under a hot rotor system is not in a combat situation.
This training opportunity also gave the DBE a chance to learn verbal commands and hand-and-arm signals. This training is very important because normal communication is not possible under a turning rotor system.
The UH-60 Black Hawk MEDEVAC procedures are much the same as the procedures for the Iraqi Air Force's UH-1 helicopter.
"The exercise covered various facets of MEDEVAC procedures. The aviation crew assisted them on how to set up landing zones, guide the helicopters in, and how to load patients, but the Iraqi's lead the training," said Staff Sgt. Kevin Ferrell, a flight medic with the unit.
Maj. Dante Antonelli, commander of BTT Phoenix, praised the aviators for making the training a valuable experience.
"The MEDEVAC crew supported us completely, and together, we are committed to continuously trying to professionalize the force in Iraq," he said.
The team says the best part of the training was the fact that two Iraqi medics, recent graduates of the Ministry of Defense Medical Train-the-Trainer Course in Taji, were training their own Soldiers with minimal help from U.S. forces.
Put this together with the FMS notice of Iraqi MoI planning to buy utility helos...
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