• Military Menu                       

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

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Corpsmen from Okinawa execute mass casualty exercise during Yausubetsu

US Marine Corps News

12/9/2008 By Cpl. Eric D. Arndt, III MEF

YAUSUBETSU MANEUVER AREA, Hokkaido, Japan — Hospital corpsmen with 3rd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, conducted a mass-casualty drill here Nov. 22.

The drill simulated a mortar attack on the battalion.

The corpsmen had to respond quickly to sort through the casualties, provide life-saving techniques to stabilize the critically wounded and call for a medical evacuation in an environment of high stress.

"(Treating patients) is easier in a controlled environment, but once you get out here with Marines running around screaming, it's hard to keep your head straight," said Navy Lt. Justin S. Clark, the battalion surgeon. "And that's exactly what we're here to do."

When the simulated mortar round detonated, Marines, eight role-playing victims, fell to the ground screaming. Each pretended to suffer different injuries and wounds for the corpsmen to treat. Injuries included sucking chest wounds, shrapnel to the eyes and external fractures.

The corpsmen assessed each patient and either treated him on the spot if their condition required immediate attention or moved on to other patients.

The goal is to save the greatest number of people possible, according to Petty Officer 3rd Class Chadd A. Roberts, one of the battalion's hospital corpsmen.

It's most important to treat the right patient at the right time, according to the severity of the injuries," he said.

The drill also taught the corpsmen to utilize healthy Marines around the site to assist them with their duties, as medical personnel may be stretched thin in an actual emergency.

"(The corpsmen) coordinate how to do buddy care using basic combat lifesaver skills," Clark said. "If a casualty doesn't have a corpsman next to him, one of his Marines can fix him up."

The training is helpful to the corpsmen when considering a worst-case scenario, according to Roberts.

"(The corpsmen need) to get in the mindset of how it's going to be." Roberts said, "The real thing will be very chaotic. We don't really foresee something like this happening but we want to be prepared for it if it does."

The drill took place in conjunction with the regularly scheduled artillery relocation training, currently taking place in Yausubetsu, Japan.

Artillery training can take place several times each year in different training areas in Japan.