Soldier medics raise standard for medical evacuation care in Iraq

ARNEWS ^ | Sgt. Waine D. Haley

[SandRat]

SAMARRA, Iraq (March 27, 2006) – The Army has a catchphrase; “Adapt, improvise and overcome,” and that is just what medics at Forward Operating Base Brassfield-Mora are doing.

2nd Lt. Edward C.F. Lau, Evacuation Platoon Leader, 690th Medical Company in support of the 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, FOB Brassfield-Mora in Samarra had an idea to implement the design for a new medical evacuation platform.

“My chain of command gave the opportunity to implement a new ground evacuation doctrine, and depending on its success, it will be the new standard for ground patient movement in Iraq,” says Lau.

At the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom IV, the military had banned the use of armored ground ambulances, which was called a Field Logistical Ambulance. The FLA was the primary vehicle for units to provided ground evacuation care.

The FLA was not considered to have enough armor to take outside the bases, so it became an internal-use vehicle. Evacuating the injured Soldier became limited to air evacuation or the unit’s heavy-armored humvee.

“This new rule made our job in Iraq very difficult to do ... basically ending ground evacuation outside the FOBs,” said Lau.

The medics were now limited to first aid care, which also compounded the problem. They did not have a platform to work from or medical equipment that is in armored ambulances.

“I felt Soldiers needed a conventional ground evacuation platform to work with, especially with the mission in the city,” Lau said. “I’m currently testing two types of casualty evacuation vehicles – one being the M1114 armored humvee and the other being the LMTV armored five-ton truck. By doing this, it creates a new standard operating procedure for evacuation care.”

In addition to creating and testing the new vehicles, the unit has to maintain their assigned task of providing evacuation coverage for Soldiers in FOB Brassfield-Mora and Patrol Base Razor. These services include primary evacuation care, convoy support, detainee medical assessment, Iraqi medical training and assistance with patient care.

"If it all works out, then I know my team made a difference in Iraq.”

(Editor’s note: Sgt. Waine D. Haley serves with 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.)

[wouldntbprudent]

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[joesnuffy]

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