KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Medics of the Kandahar Air Wing were certified during flight medic training with the Company C, 3rd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, Task Force Hammerhead, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade on Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, Nov. 28.
The purpose of the training is for the flight medics of the KAW to learn how to receive a 9-line Medical Evacuation request and perform the necessary treatment to a casualty.
“The training is great for us to have,” said Afghan Sgt. Fazal Haq Maftoon, a flight medic with the KAW. “I learned a lot that I did not know before. The patient assessment is the biggest part of being a flight medic.”
Flight medics from C/3-25 AVN, 25th CAB have trained 15 flight medics from the KAW. The soldiers were trained on conducting medical and trauma assessments, basic life support procedures, and combat life saver tactics.
“The most important thing for a health care provider is the assessment of a patient,” said Staff Sgt. Miguel Valdez, a flight medic assigned to C/3-25 AVN, 25th CAB, originally from Phoenix, Ariz. “The training has evolved from having the flight medics learn flight medic procedures to treating patients on a real-time MEDEVAC call.”
The Afghan flight medics completed an in-flight scenario to receive two simulated casualties and provide the necessary care during transport to the nearest medical facility.
“The goal of the training is to teach them to be able to provide critical care to a patient in transit and to develop an assessment rhythm,” said Valdez. “Once you develop a rhythm, you will not miss anything and make you a better [health care] provider.”
As the soldiers continue the training, their relationship and trust grows with them.
“Our coalition partners have taught us how to become better at our tasks,” said Maftoon. “We can now help our patients effectively and train others to do the same.”