MOUNTAIN WARFARE TRAINING CENTER BRIDGEPORT, Calif. -- Throughout the training done at the MWTC, naval medical personnel have been at the ready for any health issues that Marines may encounter, even taking steps to prevent them long before they shipped out for Javelin Thrust.
Prior to their departure, the sailors worked to ensure that all personnel were medically ready to participate in the exercise, as well as making sure all essential medical gear was ready to go.
“We prepare by making sure vaccinations are up to date, physical exams are OK and there are no special circumstances for individuals that can cause medical problems,” said Navy Capt. John Dawson, regimental surgeon for the 24th Marine Regiment and Columbiana, Ohio native. “We screen for that so we can reduce risk before anyone comes out. Once all of that is up to date, we have to ensure we have all of our equipment, which the chief corpsmen played a huge role in.”
Throughout the exercise, corpsmen have been in the field with Marines, training and integrating into the units. Others, who are attached to aid stations, still find time to get training and teach classes to Marines and their fellow sailors.
“We’ve done quite a bit of training,” said Chief Petty Officer Travis Neher, regimental chief corpsman for the 24th Marine Regiment and Jasper, Mo., native. “Our numbers are at about 18 classes that I and other corpsmen have taught. We’ve done training on everything from orthopedic injuries to mountain sickness, as well as how to load and unload ambulances and all sorts of other medical items.”
In the field, the sailors provide primary and preventive care to Marines. From there, they can send a Marine on his way or opt out to do a medical evacuation to get that Marine to better care from the regimental aid station, which is ready to take patients 24-hours-a-day. The medical staff also monitors trending illnesses and injuries to further mitigate any incidents that may occur.
Beyond keeping the Marines in good health, these sailors have been learning a lot from their own training, just as their counterparts. The training even supports operational emergency readiness by teaching them how to use the necessary equipment and procedures for emergencies.
“I’ve learned a lot more than from regular drills because for the most part we’re trying to keep the medical and dental records for all the Marines coming through in order at the reserve station,” said Seaman James E. Jeffery, a corpsman with the 24th Marine Regiment aid station and St. Louis native. “Here we’ve got time to use the equipment we got and familiarize ourselves with it.”
As an integral part of operations, the corpsmen have been thriving in this environment. From preventing and treating ills and injuries, to honing their own skills, they’ve been a vital asset to the exercise as whole.