Missouri Guardsmen study first aid before deployment

Missouri National Guard Sgt. Cody Conner, of Dexter, uses a training mannequin to practice securing a bandage on a puncture wound caused by a protruding stick during Combat Lifesaver Course. Conner completed the course in preparation for a deployment to Iraq with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3-135th Theater Aviation Battalion, of Lebanon.

DEXTER, Mo. -- Approximately two weeks before their impending deployment to Balad, Iraq, Sgt. Cody Conner, who lives in Dexter, and 10 other Missouri National Guardsmen brushed up on their first aid skills.

These Soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3-135th Theater Aviation Battalion, of Lebanon, graduated from the Army's Combat Lifesaver Course. The instruction lasts 40 hours and is the bridge between first aid taught to Soldiers in basic training and the medical training given to a combat medic.

Combat lifesavers are nonmedical Soldiers who provide lifesaving measures as a secondary mission. The course is taken annually by each Missouri Guardsman, and every Soldier takes the course prior to deployment.

Staff Sgt. Richard Bryant and his wife, Sgt. Lani Bryant, both from Detachment 1, Missouri Army National Guard Medical Detachment, of Neosho, were the unit's instructors. They have been teaching this version of the course they wrote for a few months.

"The main emphasis is that they get enough medical training to hopefully help their fellow Soldiers in times of need," Richard Bryant said. "I hope that the little bit of information that we do give them is enough that they can prevent someone from dying."

The Bryants, combat medics for nine years in the Guard, said the most important thing they hope the Soldiers take away from the course is the variety of ways to control bleeding.

"We teach Soldiers to improvise on the battlefield," Richard Bryant said.

"It is important to us, because all the Soldiers we train are family," Lani Bryant added.

The information was well received.

"The instructors kept it interesting," Conner said.

The course culminated with an exercise that simulated combat injury extractions while taking fire from the enemy.

"That was excellent training because I got the chance to see what it was really like to inspect a downed person and assess their injuries in a real situation," Conner said.

For several Soldiers in the course, it was the first time covering the material, while it was refresher for the majority.

"I feel a little more comfortable with how to apply certain bandages and what to do in certain situations," said Conner, who was taking the course for the second time.

Conner was impressed by the versatility of the Israeli Bandage, a consolidation bandage that includes a non-stick pad, pressure applicator, secondary sterile dressing and closure bar.

"I didn't know much about them," he said. "I learned how to apply them and the different techniques to use them different ways."

The best part of the course refresher for Conner was how to treat a collapsed lung with needle decompression in the chest.

"It's not complicated, but I don't see it that much," said Conner, who holds an aviation operations military occupational specialty. "I got refreshed on the signs and symptoms and exactly where to place the needle."

Under the command of Capt. Seth Everett, who lives in St. Louis, the 3-135th is slated to deploy to Joint Base Balad, Iraq, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Its mission is to provide command and control, supervision, staff planning and unit level personnel service and logistical support for all units that belong to or are attached to the theater aviation battalion.

As part of its 24-hours-a-day mission, the unit will perform command and control for 11 C-23 Sherpas, four C-12 Hurons and one UC-35 Cessna Citation. Through the use of these fixed-wing aircraft, the unit will provide a forward deployed aviation battalion, which provides air movement of cargo, personnel, and military/civilian dignitaries from the United States, NATO, and Iraq, throughout Iraq and the Central Command Area.

These Guardsmen also will be responsible for the flight following, air tasking orders, mission scheduling, and diplomatic flight clearances for all aircraft assigned to the battalion.

The unit previously deployed to Balad in 2005. There, it provided theater airlift support throughout the entire Central Command Area of Operations to include, Iraq, Qatar, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Europe and 21 other countries in Africa.

For more information about the Missouri National Guard, please call 1-800-GoGuard or visit www.moguard.com.

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For more information about this release, please contact Matthew J. Wilson at 573-638-9500 EXT. 4853 or e-mail him at matthew.j.wilson4@us.army.mil.