CAMP SMITH TRAINING SITE, N.Y. – From the perimeter of a small, unassuming building nestled in the back of Camp Smith, Soldiers could be seen carrying litters, applying tourniquets, bandaging limbs, opening blocked airways and sealing chest wounds.
Then they went inside and did it all over again.
The New York Army National Guard's 106th Infantry Regional Training Institute graduated 81 Soldiers – 40 from the deploying 369th Sustainment Brigade – from the three-day Combat Lifesaver Training Course at Camp Smith on June 10, 2016.
The 369th is preparing to deploy to Kuwait in fall, 2016.
Combat Life Saver (CLS) trained Soldiers can, in combat, stop massive bleeding, assess labored breathing and apply basic bandages.
The 30-hour course is taught by four primary instructors and three junior medics who have a combined 40 years experience teaching and several deployments as combat medics.
"All of our instructors are BLS [Basic Life Support] certified," said New York Army National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Anthony Cammayo, the medical course manager for the 106th Infantry Regional Training Institute."We're here with the expertise and equipment to help train Soldiers."
The equipment used during the CLS course includes two state-of-the-art mannequins that are operated remotely with a hand-held controller or a laptop.
MATT, or the Multiple Amputation Trauma Trainer, has built-in technology that delivers an incredibly realistic visual and tactical treatment scenario. It creates a lifelike response to treatment, demanding that students accurately pinpoint the areas to regulate and control the flow from arterial bleeding.
SAMMY, the newest upgrade of the SimMan medical training mannequin, can have ribs move asymmetrically to denote rib fractures, and allows trainers to talk through him as students work to identify all of the simulated injuries.
"MATT and SAMMY help bring the real-world environment into the classroom and their responsiveness helps us better identify where Soldiers are having difficulties," said Cammayo."The more realistic the training, the better prepared the Soldiers are."
Medical preparation and confidence are important for CLS Soldiers during a deployment. These uniquely trained Soldiers play a vital role in not only being first responders, but also acting as extensions of the Combat Medics to help treat the wounded.
"Since bleeding from extremities causes most battlefield deaths," said Cammayo."One of the main takeaways from the course is the use of a tourniquet – that can save lives."