Boxer's Blue, Green Medical Team Preps for Deployment
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS081013-03
Release Date: 10/13/2008 12:17:00 AM
By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Matthew Jackson, USS Boxer Public Affairs
USS BOXER, At Sea (NNS) -- USS Boxer's (LHD 4) Medical Department, Fleet Surgical Team (FST) 5 and the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) tested their emergency medical response skills Oct. 9 during a shipboard mass casualty drill.
The drill simulated Marine casualties flown to Boxer from combat ashore. The Marines were received in flight deck triage, and their wounds were diagnosed prior to being taken below to the ship's intensive care unit.
Hospital corpsmen from the different commands make up the mass casualty response team, which charted the victims' vital signs and dressed their wounds through the process with help from Marine stretcher bearers.
"This drill was successful for us to begin critical training," said Boxer's Hospital Corpsman 1st Class (SW/AW) Jennifer Gabbard. "It's important to our mission readiness that our Marine stretcher-bearers and new Sailors are properly trained to meet this responsibility."
The mass casualty drill was conducted during the Boxer Expeditionary Strike Group (BOXESG) Integration, which is an exercise designed to integrate the different command elements of the strike group prior to deploying.
The drill allowed Sailors and Marines to identify their roles and responsibilities as well as get a feel for the coordination and logistics involved.
"Our goal was to work on integration between Boxer Medical, FST 5 and the 13th MEU," said Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman (SW/AW) Stephen Richardson. "Once the Marines are ashore, it's important for them to know what our capabilities and procedures are so we can work better together."
According to Richardson, utilizing the extensive medical capabilities of Boxer provided the teams a prime training environment.
"Boxer is the best medical platform to use," he said. "Other than hospital ships, we have the broadest medical capabilities afloat. FST 5 and Boxer's medical staff are capable of performing surgery, X-rays, laboratory work, and we have blood bank capabilities."
FST 5 nurses and surgeons worked with the 13th MEU medical staff in direct care of the casualties and assessed patient triage procedures.
Richardson said support staff from different services and different disciplines offered a wide range of experiences to pull from but also created challenges.
"Our biggest challenge is ensuring everyone understands, without a doubt, what their job is," said Richardson. "Everyone, from the inexperienced hospital corpsman to the FST 5 officer in charge, has an integral role.
"Past experiences help us overcome that challenge, and we use that experience during training drills. We're all about teamwork because we deal with people's health and lives."
The combination of different elements working together during the drill is key in preparing Sailors and Marines to integrate their capabilities for Boxer's upcoming deployment.
"Mass casualty drills are a great lesson in 'training like we fight', so that our reactions to medical emergencies become second nature to us," added Gabbard. "We want to be prepared in every circumstance."
BOXESG is scheduled for more training exercises this fall prior to a Western Pacific deployment scheduled for early next year.
BOXESG is comprised of Amphibious Squadron 5, the 13th MEU, Boxer, USS New Orleans (LPD 18), USS Comstock (LSD 45), USS Chung Hoon (DDG 93), USCGC Boutwell (WHEC 719), USS Milius (DDG 69), USS Lake Champlain (CG 57), Naval Beach Group 1, Assault Craft Unit 5, Assault Craft Unit 1, Beach Master Unit 1, FST 5, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (REIN) 163, Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 21, and Fixed Wing Marine Attack Squadron 214.
For more news from USS Boxer (LHD 4), visit www.navy.mil/local/lhd4/.
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