Amid a cacophony of theatrical shrieks and cries of pain, medics from Charlie Company, 426th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, sharpened their skills with a mass casualty training exercise at Forward Operating Base Fenty, Afghanistan on May 12.
“You train as you fight,” said 2nd Lieutenant Thomas Watts, treatment platoon leader, Charlie Co., of Bardstown, Ky., who spearheaded the drill.In order to stay prepared for these types of events, Charlie Co. conducts these mass casualty exercises, or MASCAL drills, about once per month to hone perishable medical skills, said U.S. Army Spc. Stephanie Emerson, medic, Charlie Co., of Peru, Ind.
The May 12 training exercise had a particular focus: to break in a new provider (doctor) and a new forward surgical team.“We wanted to do a MASCAL drill to incorporate both of them so they could see how it actually functions,” Watts said.In addition to this, Charlie Co. tested emergency blood-drive procedures for the first time. |
