US Army Combat Medical Training Given
Forward Operating Base Huey, Afghanistan
In a first of its kind, a class of medics graduated the combat medical training course set up by U.S. Forces.
Medics belonging to the Afghan National Army 201st Corps, Third Brigade, Fifth Kandak Battalion completed training and celebrated in a ceremony in Nangarhar Province on December 8th. Army Lieutenant Colonel Paul MacKenzie said, “You have studies hard, and learned vital and important skills. You can share these skills not only with your fellow soldiers, but you can now share in your community elsewhere in Afghanistan, and throughout your life,”
Lieutenant Colonel MacKenzie is the senior officer who is the advisor to ANA 201st Corps, Third Brigade.
“You are not only more complete soldiers and medics, but you have become more productive and better Afghan citizens,” said MacKenzie. “We all have a duty as citizens of our countries to do what we can to contribute, to the best of our abilities,” remarked Colonel MacKenzie.
The new class of Medics is designed to bring self-sufficiency to the Afghan people. “When you are in the field and people say ‘Where are the American Doctors?’ you can stand tall and announce ‘I can assist you, I have the needed skills,” stated MacKenzie.
“We have showed them everything from assessment of trauma, to wound treatment, different bandages, and clearing an airway,” said Army Sgt. First Class Jason Brooks. Sgt. Brooks is part of the Brigade Support Battalion that trained the Afghan medics. “We demonstrated basic skills at the lifesaver in Combat level. We will continue with more advance level training,” said Brooks.