MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -- Marines learn basic first aid as early as boot camp and Officer Candidates School. Once a Marine joins a unit, Navy Corpsman and doctors are depended on to provide nearly any medical care required. But what happens if the Corpsman is the casualty? Marine Special Operations Advisor Group, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command conducted training to prepare for just such a situation.
From 22 through 26 Oct., Marines and Sailors with MSOAG conducted medical training with a newly upgraded simulation mannequin at the education center here, Oct. 22-26.
Petty Officer 1st Class Demeak Williams, patient simulation instructor, and Senior Chief Petty Officer Ted Plaugher, lead chief petty officer for medical simulations, Navy Medicine, Manpower, Personnel, Training and Education Command in Bethesda, Md., came to Camp Lejeune to teach essential medical skills to MARSOC operators preparing for deployment.
The simulation mannequin, known as the "sim-man", allows trainees to read a pulse, monitor breathing, stop bleeding, gather x-ray data and much more.
As Marines waited outside the classroom, Williams programmed the sim-man with wounds through a computer linked to the mannequin. The sim-man can be programmed to simulate a wide range of wounds, injuries, illnesses and related symptoms the Marines are required to treat.
“This is as realistic as you can get without actually using a real person,” said Plaugher. “This also allows us to go back and fix our mistakes.”
Both Plaugher and Williams travel to various units throughout the military and instruct servicemembers at all levels of medical experience.
“The great thing about the sim-man is I can teach life-support skills from basic to advanced levels,” said Williams. “I can teach a Corpsman things he may not know and also give a Marine some baseline knowledge on how to help a casualty.”
Plaugher and Williams presented the Marines with several scenarios throughout the training and assessed their performance. The MSOAG Marines did not disappoint.
“I am really impressed with how these Marines have done this past week,” said Plaugher. “You can tell that they have had some prior training in medical subjects.”
MSOAG teams often deploy to remote or austere locations in support of foreign internal defense missions directed by U.S. Special Operations Command. Having team members with diverse skill sets and knowledge is integral to success while deployed.
Advanced medical training is an important tool for MSOAG teams to take with them as they deploy around the world. Whether Corpsman or not, the team members know they can rely on each other to provide the lifesaving combat medical care they may one day need.
Active duty Marines and Sailors interested in joining MARSOC can contact the Marine Special Operations School at (910) 450-3349/3123 (DSN 750-3349/3123) or visit us online at www.marsoc.usmc.mil/recruiting.