EAST LYME, Conn. — Both on the ground and in the air, Army National Guardsmen and women spent a warm, sunny Tuesday under duress at the Stones Ranch Military Reservation in East Lyme.
Seventeen guardsmen from units across the country were busy training as part of the “Combat Medic Transition Course,” which is the intense final phase before they can call themselves combat medics.
RELATED: No common ground found | That comes with the territory during firefighter 'trench rescue training'
“We try to simulate the real world as much as we can. With the aircraft coming in, we play war sounds, all for the sake of increasing the stress level to mimic what a medic would deal with in a real combat theater,” said Megan Authier, Connecticut Army National Guard First Sergeant and instructor.
The students spent much of the morning implementing combat care tactics in a triage tent and transporting would-be patients to a waiting Blackhawk Helicopter.
“This is their field training exercise where we give them simulated injuries; anything from combat-related injuries to concussions to traumatic brain injuries – they can treat it all,” said Staff Sergeant Donnell Niles, also an instructor.
This week, the students are finishing up what is a 64-day course.
“These guys are going to rotate forward and treat the next set of soldiers and civilians so it’s extremely gratifying,” Niles added.
Jimmy Altman is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at jaltman@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
---
Have a story idea or something on your mind you want to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at newstips@fox61.com
---
HERE ARE MORE WAYS TO GET FOX61 NEWS
Download the FOX61 News APP
iTunes: Click here to download
Google Play: Click here to download
Stream Live on ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching FOX61.
Steam Live on FIRE TV: Search ‘FOX61’ and click ‘Get’ to download.