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Tropic Lightning -- 23 November 2000
 Photo(s) by Staff Sgt. Michael C. Westerfield Pfc. Joshua L. Armitage and Pfc. Timothy J Alexander, 1st Bn., 27th Inf. line medics, explain U.S. medical procedures to Japanese Cpl. Tomomi Mori. | Medics share skills, procedures with Japanese counterparts By Staff Sgt. Michael C. Westerfield IBANO TRAINING AREA, Japan - Medics from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 27th In-fantry, trained with their Japanese counterparts from the 15th Regiment, 2nd Combined Brigade, Middle Army, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force here during Keen Sword 2001 to share techniques. The Soldiers discovered many differences and similarities between the medical doctrines of their respective countries. "The way their medics are organized to support companies in the field was quite different," said 2nd Lt. George P. Coan, a medical platoon leader, with HHC, 1st Bn., 27th Inf. "We attach a squad to each company while they are more centralized." "The Japanese medics are using World War II techniques to gather and treat wounded," said Pfc. Joshua L. Armitage, a 1st Bn., 27th Inf. line medic. "They centralize everything, but the Soldier doesn’t get any advanced treatment until he’s in the aid station." Not only are the units organized differently, the way wounded Soldiers are transported to the aid station is different too. "Members of the U.S. Army use vehicles to bring casualties back to collection points as quickly as possible," said 1st Lt. Mamoru Kamimura, a 2nd Brigade medical platoon leader. "The Japanese army uses litters to get Soldiers to collection points." When a U.S. Soldier is wounded in training or on the battlefield, he or she has three levels of medical aid available before the Soldier gets to the aid station. The first help an injured Soldier receives is buddy aid. All Soldiers receive first aid training and are able to help each other. The next level of aid is from combat lifesavers or emergency medical technicians. Every squad has at least one combat lifesaver who can stabilize and further treat injured Soldiers. The next level of aid available to the Soldiers is with the medics. "Their medics can’t do a lot of the things we do," said Sgt. Benjamin Hernandez III, Co. C squad leader. "We do a lot of things in the field that only the doctors are allowed to do at their aid station." "Their aid station is set up differently too," said infantry medic Pfc. James Costigan. "I like the way they set up. They move real fast without saying a word. They had everything set up in about 20 minutes. They really work as a team." "The American training is very speedy as they search for casualties," said Master Sgt. Imamura Nobuo, a Japanese medical platoon senior NCO officer. "They always consider the casualties as their friends." |
