Soldiers from the 4th Battalion, 5th Air & Missile Defense Regiment Aid Station, here, are conducting Combat Life Saver courses in order for the entire battalion to be qualified in life-saving techniques.
While conducting combat operations, trained medical professionals aren’t always readily available. The CLS courses focus on equipping all Soldiers with basic first-aid skills.
“The overall mission of the course is for non-medical personnel to be able to provide life-saving first aid in the event medics aren’t present or the medics are injured,” said Sgt. Justin Nichols, CLS noncommissioned officer in charge, 4-5 AMD, and Greenville, Mo., native.
Throughout the course, a number of different teaching tactics were used, ranging from class work to caring for a simulated casualty.
“We participated in a 40-hour course,” said Spc. Brian Medley, early warning systems operator, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 4-5 AMD, and Terre Haute, Ind., native. “We did a hands-on test, written test and, finally, lane training.”
The lane training was the final event of the course and was created to test the capabilities of the students, said Medley.
“We enacted what would happen if a casualty occurred while under fire,” Medley stated. “We saw how we’d react with everything going on and if we’d know the right procedures to save a Soldier’s life.”
The final situational training exercise helped the instructors see how the Soldiers would react under adverse conditions, explained Pfc. Megan Greder, junior medic, 4-5 AMD, and Irvington, Ky., native.
“We took the Soldiers we were instructing for the last couple days and put it all together and made it one big, stressful situation where they had to save a Soldier’s life,” Greder stated.
Greder, who played the role of a casualty, was impressed with the CLS trainees, she said.
“They did very well,” said Greder. “No one was dropped, and no one got hurt. My [simulated] injuries were treated and my life would have been saved. They knew what they were doing and they paid attention.”
Since the HHB Soldiers were attentive and grasped the lessons being taught, they walked away with a valuable lesson, said Medley.
“The course prepared me for taking care of another Soldier if one were to get injured in the line of duty,” Medley said.
Third Army is staying ready tonight by ensuring its Soldiers are qualified and efficient in CLS techniques.
