Week 3 Humpday

Another week has passed since I last posted, but not much has happened in training. No new pictures to post.

After I finished CLS (Combat LifeSaver), I moved into 3 days of Advanced Med. It was 2 days of powerpoint, and 1 day of trauma lanes validation. In the morning, we had individual testing on the mannequins which consisted of placing 2 thigh tourniquets, a chest seal over a sucking chest wound and needle decompression, starting an IV which fails so progress to I/O in the sternum, and airway management with a combitube which also fails, so then an emergency cricothyroiodectomy is performed. This of course is performed in the dark with full battle rattle, a headlamp and simulated wartime conditions in under 15 minutes. 

The afternoon broke us up into 8 man teams. We went outside in the mud and rain with full battle rattle and paintball guns. We had to rescue (3) 180 pound mannequins out of a "burning humvee" with only 1 folding stretcher and 1 SKED stretcher (like a plastic sled to drag a patient).  We had to perform multiple interventions and drag them all over the "trauma lanes" full of obstacles. It wasn't as much fun when we did it, but the instructors video taped it and we watched it as a class and had some laughs. 

The rest of the week is basic commo class, which is powerpoint lectures followed with hands on training with the radios. We have some time off this weekend (Fri/Sat/Sun) because division has not gotten any DUI's. Next week the fun begins with each team receiving 4 humvees and the crew served weapons which we will qualify on. Nothing like a good day of shooting the big boys out on the range. I will try to post some pictures next week out on the range.....