07/19/2024
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
Story by Spc. Liam Reilly, 603rd Public Affairs Detachment
Under the blistering 90-degree sun, Soldiers with the medical section of 197th Field Artillery Brigade (FAB) trained with precision, their determination unwavering, despite the heat, ever-ready to assist fellow unit members.
During the week of July 15th, 2024, the small medical team supported the Headquarters and Headquarters Battery (HHB), 197th FAB.
"Many medical personnel in the New Hampshire Army National Guard (NHARNG) work in the medical sector for their civilian jobs,” said Spc. Brayan Laguer, a combat medic with the section. “This puts us in a position where we can train in a way that complements our military and civilian skill sets.”
Laguer joined the NHARNG in 2022 with two goals: save lives and gain experience for a career in public service. For him, the combat medic knowledge and experience he’s gaining is a mechanism to pursue a career at either a police or fire department.
"If someone gets hurt, you're the first person going out to ensure they are okay,” said Laguer. “It is your responsibility to try to stabilize them for transport to an aid station."
Through his experience, Laguer has noticed a few distinct differences between the civilian and military medical fields.
“The difference, I’ve realized, between a combat medic and an EMT is the combat medic also has to keep up with the combat arms Soldiers,” said Laguer. “You have to be capable of Soldier and medical skills."
Similarly to Laguer’s experience gained through the National Guard, his fellow section members are able to bring their military skills and expertise into their civilian careers. Although the medical section is small by size, the team is comprised of a robust variety of military occupational specialties such as combat medics, physicians, and dentists.
"There are three missions we perform,” said Maj. Tim Gardner, brigade surgeon with the FAB. “We train our staff in medical techniques, conduct medical readiness, and support exercises like this."
Gardner, who joined the NHARNG two years ago after working with Guardsmen during their mission to local hospitals, explained the skills he trains on during annual training are applicable for him with various aspects of his civilian career.
"I've had a lot of patients,” said Gardner, referring to his civilian job. “However, everything is very well regulated and usually predictable.”
“The Army is flexible,” he added. “(Here) I've been able to gain resiliency when it comes to being flexible and responding to unplanned events."
During annual training, Gardner and his team can usually be found at the aid station, a place where soldiers go for injuries and illnesses.
"The medics are the primary front-line contact with the patient when they walk in the door,” Gardner said, adding how they are trained and prepared to treat things such heat casualties. "We also distribute preventative supplies such as sunscreen and electrolyte drinks, as well as communicating with the command team about environmental risks like the temperature."
For Capt. Rus Denysyk, a physician's assistant with the unit and also within the civilian sector, he joined because he wanted to care for Soldiers.
"Providing medical care in adverse conditions such as a tent or in the field isn't something I would normally do," said Denysyk. "You learn about field expedient medicine and how to perform in less-than-ideal conditions.”
He explained that he has gained valuable experiences in his career with the Guard, allowing him to explore areas of medicine that he would not often see in his civilian career.
“Suppose I had to perform these operations in my civilian job,” Deysyk said. “In that case, it may be more difficult, but training in this environment will prepare me to assist others in my profession and specialty."
Denysyk explained that his favorite part of training in the NHARNG is the ability to train other Soldiers in higher levels of care.
"Working with EMTs and paramedics gives me some insight into where our medics are coming from,” said Denysyk. “This allows me to integrate training in more advanced medicine with them, especially in areas common in hospitals but uncommon in the Army."
One of the Soldiers in the section, Staff Sgt. Travis Lawrence-Hurt, a combat medic in the unit, previously worked as a paramedic. He explained that combat medics have similar functions, but different skill sets, in comparison to their civilian counterparts.
"Combat medics are trained extensively on trauma,” said Lawrence-Hurt. “As a civilian paramedic, I didn't get a lot of trauma training or learn how to deal with things like gunshot wounds, tourniquet usage, or packing wounds."
"Meanwhile, combat medics are not as familiar with disease vectors and illnesses that are not directly related to combat wounds,” added Lawrence-Hurt, who said training with his peers has been beneficial for him and the team.
Prior to their deployment, he taught his peers classes on electrocardiography (EKG) machine.
"They thought it was a really cool experience because they were able to get exposure to new or unfamiliar skills that are common in healthcare environments,” Lawrence-Hurt said. “Meanwhile, the combat medic training helped me familiarize some of my peers on the civilian side with less-common trauma situations."
Amidst the medical section the team-mentality for all aspects of the field was echoed.
"It's a team sport, in and out of uniform," said Gardner. "Sharing our skills and experiences builds camaraderie and makes us all better."