• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Camp Pendleton Medical Battalion Provides Care to Military, Civilian Iraqis

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS061229-04
Release Date: 12/29/2006 10:50:00 AM

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Kenneth R. Hendrix, Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group Public Affairs

AL ASAD, Iraq (NNS) -- Charlie Health Services Company Al Asad detachment, 1st Medical Battalion Camp Pendleton, Calif. of Combat Logistics Regiment 15, has operated on more than 200 patients and completed more than 400 Level II resuscitations from August to December 2006 here in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

According to Cmdr. Richard Sharpe, detachment officer-in-charge the company's mission is to provide Level II care, which is the first echelon of care that surgical resuscitation can be performed,.

"We take care of everyone that is brought to us, which includes U.S. Armed Forces, Coalitions forces, Iraqi Security Forces-- mainly Iraqi Army and Iraqi Police--Iraqi civilian men, women and children and detainees; whoever is brought to us, we treat," Sharpe said.

"The patients are from Level I facilities, which are battalion aid stations, shock trauma platoons or directly from the battlefield to here," Sharpe added.

Like doctors, Navy nurses and corpsmen take a solemn pledge to take care and treat all injured, regardless of nationality, treating all equally.

"It's not a struggle to treat everybody equally, but there is something there that you feel and see, knowing that if this detainee was awake right now he would try to hurt you, but you're trying to protect him," said Lt. Alecia Gende an in-route care nurse.

"You're risking your life and all the crew on that helo to take this guy who is trying to kill us essentially, to the next level of care so we can prevent him from dying," Gende said.

The corpsmen function a lot more independently here and for junior corpsmen like Hospitalman (FMF) René Acerosalazar who is grateful for the training he receives and the experience.

"I didn't like doing stitches at first because it's intimidating with the patient looking at you and I would get nervous," Acerosalazar said. "But, the nurses and experienced corpsmen let me know the patient doesn't feel anything and not to worry. If I mess up they'll help me fix it. It's good to know they're here for me."

First-time deployed Hospital Corpsman 1st Class (FMF) Brandi Collins, who in the past served as a histology technician and independent duty corpsman, shared one of her profound moments in the emergency trauma room.

"We had a gentleman that we had to start cardiovascular pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) right as he got off the helo because he was crashing. It was the first time I performed CPR since graduating from school. I jumped on top of the gurney and started CPR and rode in with him from the helo pad to operating room," Collins said.

The battalion has a full-time interpreter on staff to help communicate with the Iraqi citizens.

"The interactions we have with the Iraqi patients is very positive," said Sharpe. "They appreciate the fact that we are here to take care of them, no matter who they are."

On Al Asad Air Base the Navy isn't the only military medical provider. The Air Force and the Army have units here too and all three branches of the military have created "a purple medicine system."

"By having a solid team, 'a purple team,' of these providers organized and coordinated no matter what the worst-case scenario might be, we are capable of managing the most significant challenge very effectively and efficiently," said Lt. Cmdr. Thomas Friedrich, emergency physician.