An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | May 18, 2009

Louisiana Soldiers provide medical training to Iraqi army

By Scott Flenner Louisiana National Guard

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Soldiers from the Louisiana Army National Guard's 225th Engineer Brigade of Pineville, La., provided medical training May 13 to the 11th Iraqi Army (IA) Engineer Regiment located here in the northeastern Baghdad district of Adhamiyah.

Because of the valuable training provided by the "Castle" engineers, what to do when a fellow soldier is injured is no longer a fear or cause for concern for the IA soldiers.

"The mission today was to reinforce basic life-saving skills, basic first aid, and demonstrate new methods and new ways they can improve upon providing medical care to each other," said Sgt. Mark Johnson, a combat medic with the 225th.

Jackson said there are many skills that a Soldier must master to become proficient in medical first aid, but none are more important than controlling bleeding.

To control bleeding in a combat zone usually means the application of a tourniquet, a device that constricts blood vessels to slow the bleeding. The ability to properly apply that tourniquet can be the difference between life and death for a Soldier.

"We demonstrated to the IA how to apply improvised and manufactured tourniquets, going in depth with the improvised," said Staff Sgt. Adam Sanchez.

"An improvised tourniquet is not a commercial tourniquet. It is a tourniquet that is using the available materials that you may have with you such as rags, sticks and such," he continued.

The Soldiers from the 11th IA quickly took note of the training and began practicing placing bandage wraps and tourniquets on the arms and legs of their comrades.

"They were very excited to learn, and I was surprised at the amount of knowledge (first-aid) that the IA Soldiers already had," Sanchez noted. "Even some of the senior guys there were former med students."

 

 

Related Articles
Maj. Gen. Thomas Friloux, adjutant general of Louisiana, discusses briefing details with Col. Augusto Villalaz, director of the Joint Staff for the Louisiana National Guard, during the annual Hurricane Rehearsal of Concept (ROC) Drill at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, May 21, 2025. The drill helps synchronize plans and strengthen coordination across LANG’s senior leadership ahead of hurricane season.
Louisiana Guard Rehearses Emergency Plans for Hurricane Season
By Capt. Peter Drasutis, | May 28, 2025
NEW ORLEANS – The Louisiana National Guard conducted its annual Hurricane Rehearsal of Concept (ROC) Drill at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Baton Rouge May 21, uniting key personnel across multiple commands to refine...

U.S. Soldiers assigned to 3rd Battalion, 197th Field Artillery Regiment, New Hampshire Army National Guard, sling load a reduced range practice rocket to a Moroccan CH-47 Chinook during a multinational sling load operation at African Lion 2025 (AL25), May 17, 2025, in TanTan, Morocco. AL25, the largest annual military exercise in Africa, brings together over 50 nations, including seven NATO allies and 10,000 troops to conduct realistic, dynamic and collaborative training in an austere environment that intersects multiple geographic and functional combatant commands. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF,) on behalf of the U.S. Africa Command, AL25 takes place from April 14 to May 23, 2025, across Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia This large-scale exercise will enhance our ability to work together in complex, multi-domain operations - preparing forces to deploy, fight, and win.
New Hampshire Guard Teams with Morocco for Sling Load Training at African Lion 2025
By Sgt. 1st Class Jessica Forester, | May 28, 2025
TAN TAN, Morocco – Soldiers assigned to the 744th Forward Support Company (744TH FSC), 3rd Battalion, 197th Field Artillery Regiment, New Hampshire Army National Guard partnered with the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces (FAR), for...

From left, Sgt. Edward Acda, Lt. Col. Vern Perez, Sgt. 1st Class Celine Taitano, Capt. Ryan Arellano, Staff Sgt. Jovencio Mortera, and Sgt. Avery Tyquiengco of the Guam National Guard participate in Balikatan Cyber Defense Exercise, Manila, April 27, 2025. Balikatan is a longstanding annual exercise between the U.S. and Philippine armed forces designed to strengthen the alliance, showcase the capable combined force, and demonstrate the commitment to regional security and stability. (Courtesy asset)
Guam Guard Participates in Balikatan 2025 Cyber Defense Exercise
By Mark Scott, | May 28, 2025
MANILA, Philippines – A team of cyber professionals and an intelligence analyst from the Guam National Guard attended Balikatan 2025, participating in the three-week Cyber Defense Exercise alongside teams from various...