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Iraqi Army Soldiers bag new medical skills
Tuesday, 03 March 2009
CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq – Iraqi Soldiers trained on lifesaving and preventative medicine techniques during a health fair at Camp Whitehorse Feb. 28.
Along with new preventive medicine techniques, the Soldiers of the 10th Motorized Transportation Unit, 10th Iraqi Army Division received 20 new combat life-saver bags, referred to as High Risk Warrant Casualty Kits, which provide the IA troopers with the ability to more rapidly extract casualties and initiate immediate care.
Soldiers from the 27th Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division ‘Rough Rider’ Battalion donated the kits to the IA unit.
The bags can be worn as a belly bag or slung over the shoulder with quick-release attachments providing the troops with better mobility and access to help injured Soldiers during combat. The kits also have an extra storage sleeve to accommodate additional equipment.
“My Soldiers are very comfortable receiving this kind of information and supplies, because it benefits our military and civilian lives,” said Lt. Ahmed, an Iraqi medic who taught the majority of the classes during the health fair.
The Iraqi Soldiers learned about hygiene, physical fitness and protecting the body’s immune system from diseases, such as hypertension, typhoid fever and influenza.
“We are very thankful for our American friends,” said Ahmed. “They came and brought us a lot of information and supplies that helped us.”
The Rough Rider Soldiers aided their counterparts by providing medicine and information on how to treat health issues the Iraqi troops commonly experience. The health fair was one of the many medical interactions the American’s have had with the Iraqis since their partnership began last September.
Staff Sgt. Michael Rosado, a 27th BSB Medic and program manager for the health fair, said the training event was a success and the Iraqis are more knowledgeable about their personal health and fitness.
“I believe all the Iraqis will benefit from this training in the future,” said Rosado, a native of Puerto Rico. “The information we passed out and the new bags that were distributed will have a positive effect on this unit.”
The Rough Rider Battalion has planned several medical classes in the coming weeks to train their Iraqi counterparts and supply them with the latest combat life-saver bags.
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