Navy Corpsmen Get Prepared for Combat—With Tour of Duty in Chicago

[FoxtrotOscar]

Navy Corpsmen Get Prepared for Combat—With Tour of Duty in Chicago CHICAGO— Konrad Poplawski, a 22-year old Navy hospital corpsman, is about to be deployed as a battlefield Corpsman with the 2nd Marine Division, which has served in deadly battlegrounds in Iraq and Afghanistan. But first, he is making a pit stop at Cook County’s Stroger Hospital, which the Navy says is among few places here in the U.S. that provide experience treating the types of wounds he will inevitably see on the battlefield. For so long “the first time a corpsman got any trauma experience was when they were deployed, and some would just freeze up,” said Captain Paul Roach, a U.S. Navy surgeon at the Lovell Federal Health Care Center north of Chicago. “We don’t want that to happen anymore,” said Capt. Roach, who heads the program in the Great Lakes region. The Navy is working to formalize a pilot program that has been tested here for three years, rotating newly enlisted hospital corpsmen—the combat medics for the Navy and Marines—and those needing a refresher while they are back home, for six to eight weeks through Stroger Hospital’s trauma center. The 14-bed unit treats over 6,000 trauma patients yearly, many of them with penetrating, life-threatening wounds akin to those on the battlefield. ‘The experience here can’t be replicated elsewhere, unless you have a major land invasion.’ Though Chicago is experiencing a sustained drop in murders since a dramatic spike in 2016 (https://www.wsj.com/articles/chicagos-murder-rate-hits-grim-milestone-1477946601), it remains a city where a high number of gunshot victims cycle through the trauma center (https://www.wsj.com/articles/murder-in-america-what-makes-cities-more-dangerous-1514293200) night after night. About 30% of patients at Stroger Hospital, on Chicago’s near West Side, are admitted to the trauma ward with wounds from firearms, compared with a national average of 4.2% for level 1 trauma centers—hospitals certified to have the resources to handle multiple victims with penetrating and other serious wounds—according to the National Trauma Data Bank. “The experience here can’t be replicated elsewhere, unless you have a major land invasion,” said Dr. Faran Bokhari, who chairs the trauma & burn surgery unit at the hospital. In many front-line Marine units, immediate medical care for gunshots, explosions or shrapnel comes from these corpsmen who mostly are young, new to the service and new to seeing up close the wounds they train to treat. The Navy medics, known as hospital corpsmen, typically receive 14 weeks of training in first aid and patient care in Fort Sam Houston in Texas after initial boot camp, and then have the option for additional training. The program at Stroger Hospital is part of a new push from the Department of Defense to prioritize civilian and military partnerships, specifically budgeted for in last year’s National Defense Authorization Act (https://www.wsj.com/articles/house-passes-a-defense-policy-bill-with-spending-increases-1510707395). Navy corpsmen started embedding at Stroger Hospital as part of a pilot program in 2014, but the program will be expanded and designated an official training rotation this spring. “Corpsmen are not routinely exposed to trauma or critically injured patients during their first assignments,” said Defense Department spokeswoman Maj. Carla Gleason. This “realistic, hands-on trauma training will allow them to hone their skills and increase their readiness.” In recent days, the group of corpsmen have learned skills including how to scrub in before entering an operating theater and how to operate a range of machinery, including suction machines for patients who are losing blood. After just two days of training, they fully immersed in the trauma unit’s team of doctors and surgeons, expected to help with procedures during the trauma unit’s busiest shift from 3 p.m. to 3 a.m. Navy corpsmen often operate independently in combat zones, and the immersion helps them learn protocol and procedures in a large hospital so they can later replicate that. “A lot of it is here’s your training, you learn, it gets drilled in into your head—then it’s just go,” said Andrew Swain, a 26-year old corpsman who has served as a medic in Iraq. During that deployment, in his first “mass-casualty incident,” he and just a handful of other medics had to treat about eight injured at the same time, all with traumatic injuries. A week into their training, the corpsmen have seen multiple patients come in with gaping bullet hole wounds, and one with a traumatic injury to the eye after a motorcycle he was working on blew up in his face. For Corpsman Poplawski, who grew up in suburban Michigan, it was his first time seeing anyone with a gunshot wound. The experience “has prepared me to deal with worse things out in the field,” he said. “I’ll be the only one out there, so I’ll have to learn from this.”

[DanM]

Yes... the liberals did everything years ago to halt educational trauma care in the armed forces.They decided to have civilian ambulance service,etc. and HM's lost out the hands on experience of trauma. Then the bleeding hearts decided the live tissue(pigs) trauma training was too cruel. http://www.cbs8.com/story/16957050/exclusive-pigs-killed-in-military-trauma-training-near-alpine

[FistFu68]

A Liberal is nothing but a F**King Communist just in a different Costume

[Tennessee Top]

Good luck to them. Worked in a Level One trauma center here at the University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville for 15 years. You get used to multiple gunshot wounds, motorcycle accidents, etc pretty quickly (guess that's the point of the program). There's always another LifeStar chopper waiting to sit down on the landing pad outside.

[Mongoose]

I can't speak for anyone else, but, in Nam, I never saw a Grunt faint, get sick, or freeze up because they saw a traumatic wound. On the contrary, it served as a bond. You would do anything to help save your brothers life. It made you hate with a passion and turned you into a cold blooded killer....without any remorse or feeling.

[advanced]

I can't speak for anyone else, but, in Nam, I never saw a Grunt faint, get sick, or freeze up because they saw a traumatic wound. On the contrary, it served as a bond. You would do anything to help save your brothers life. It made you hate with a passion and turned you into a cold blooded killer....without any remorse or feeling.
And I still hate the gooks brother. To myself, I always used to say "Better him than me." If anyone doesn't understand that maybe they just needed to be there and witness that stuff, day after day, week after week, month after month. We became stone hard.

[oldtop]

after a while, you become so desensitized to death and destruction that it can be summed up in one short phrase that we used for just about everything unpleasant from lousy chow to your best friend being wasted..."F*** it, it don't mean nothin"... Sums up the entire "Viet Nam Experience" as one writer called it, but what it really means is that you have embraced your own mortality and accepted the truth that you will not likely survive that "experience".... to those of us that did survive, every day since has been a gift and lived to the fullest extent possible..... it also makes all of those that did survive BROTHERS in the truest sense possible.....

[FistFu68]

Brothers forever top

[Zulu 36]

This is not a new thing. Special Forces and SEAL medical people do these ER clinicals and have for years. When I did EMT and Paramedic training, we did a lot of ER time. As paramedic students we also did rotations through respiratory therapy, EKG, and surgery (where we practiced intubating live patients), in the ER we were expected to start as many IVs and administer as many injections as possible (of course that was up to the ER staff, but I was good at IVs and injections so I got a lot of practice). I got to see a lot of trauma in the ER that served me well on the street, both as a paramedic and police officer.

In Vietnam, I saw some trauma. I was not a grunt, so my experience was limited. Though I did stop and help at a six-by rollover that had a load of ARVN troops aboard and all of them were injured to one extent or another. A couple of fatals too. They seemed glad of the help from us because they weren't getting much from their own people.

[doc h fmf]

I got to make one comment As a doc I resent being called a medic or a sailor,I find it very Insulting,reason being is because our fore fathers set and did heroic action ,in Belllua Woods The Argon,Iwo Jima and Okinawa, To me us Docs are elite Just like our brothers the Marines,I mean we went to every blood bath battles that you been through and one more thing I know none of my brothers dont like to be called Soldsiers just like I dont like to be called aMedic or Semper Fi Love all you guys and gal.

Stephen Doc Hansen HM3 FMF

[advanced]

after a while, you become so desensitized to death and destruction that it can be summed up in one short phrase that we used for just about everything unpleasant from lousy chow to your best friend being wasted..."F*** it, it don't mean nothin"... Sums up the entire "Viet Nam Experience" as one writer called it, but what it really means is that you have embraced your own mortality and accepted the truth that you will not likely survive that "experience".... to those of us that did survive, every day since has been a gift and lived to the fullest extent possible..... it also makes all of those that did survive BROTHERS in the truest sense possible.....
William, you are so correct. In my group, we called it "giving it up" meaning that we all knew we were dead and were never leaving the Nam - alive. However, once one finds and understands that place inside that we called "giving it up" you become one fearless and very deadly Marine. It was like we were avenging our deaths before our death happened. Kind of hard to explain I guess. Our 6th sense, our antenna became super AWARE. Kind of like some kind of zen experience.

[oldtop]

Russ, for me, it was a dogged determination that I WAS NOT GOING TO DIE ALONE... I was going to take as many of those gook SOB's with me as I could, just to have someone in Hell to serve me..... but you are so correct, once you "give it up", you become one of the "Walking Dead" and one extremely deadly Marine indeed... the hardest part is for the survivors to "take it back" and TRY to live some kind of normal life.... "adrenalin highs" become a way of life and harder to live without than any DRUG known....

[advanced]

Tell me. I've always said, "It ain't easy being me."

One of my X's at times would tell me that I didn't know what it was like being with me. Kind, sensitive me would tell her "You think that's bad, you don't know what it's like being Me." Just saying.

The shrinks used to tell me my problem was that I felt I was immortal, but I wan't they said. My response was always if they had lived where I had lived they'd have to feel they were immortal as well.

[Zulu 36]

I have a Detroit police officer friend, now retired, who got into a gunfight with an azzhole with a shotgun. Dave got hit, he didn't know how bad at the moment, but he said a thought went through his head: "I ain't gonna be the last motherf*cker hurt in this gun fight." And he wasn't. He killed the guy. Turned out the azzhole was using birdshot and Dave only took a few pellets in his face. Too bad for the bad guy.

I really believe it's mostly attitude, just like Dave had.

[Zulu 36]

Speaking of Navy "medics" going through ER training. Another group that does are the Air Force PJ's. They just had one of their helos crash in Iraq. Two of the PJs killed aboard were from my #1 daughter's wing and she knew one of them. Sad business as PJs are very good at what they do and are highly respected not just in the US military, but in many foreign militaries who have had Pedros pull their wounded out of the sh*t.

[doc h fmf]

Chris dont call us medics they are in the Army just like Marines dont like to be called soldiers Soldier.The PJs I have alot of respect for. But the way you talk about the PLS bailing peolpe out s^&t how about the Docs who dive on a granade or sacrifices himself to save his brother.. So I alway tell people to either call me doc or Corpman not "MEDIC" Just like you guys want to be called Marines not soldier. So that is my 2 cent I hope I did offend you Chris but I just want to set people strait about us Corpman. I am suprised because you know the history of brother between a Doc and his grunts. Anyway Godbless and Semper Fi my brother.

[Robbieusmc]

You are right doc h fmf. Navy have Corpsmen and Army have medics.

[Zulu 36]

Chris dont call us medics they are in the Army just like Marines dont like to be called soldiers Soldier.The PJs I have alot of respect for. But the way you talk about the PLS bailing peolpe out s^&t how about the Docs who dive on a granade or sacrifices himself to save his brother.. So I alway tell people to either call me doc or Corpman not "MEDIC" Just like you guys want to be called Marines not soldier. So that is my 2 cent I hope I did offend you Chris but I just want to set people strait about us Corpman. I am suprised because you know the history of brother between a Doc and his grunts. Anyway Godbless and Semper Fi my brother.

Doc, that's why I put "medic" in quotes. It means that isn't the correct term. A bit of sarcasm if you will.

I am very well aware about Corpsmen and their sacrifices. I was also permanent personnel at Field Med School at Camp Lejuene after I got back from Vietnam. So I had a bit of a hand in getting young docs turned into Devil Docs. I always got along well with Corpsmen (at least I think so). Some of them were good drinking buddies as well. Some of the Chiefs on staff were three war vets. The CO was a pre-war pharmacist mate and an MSC Lt in Korea where he got a Silver Star. The Leading Chief had been on the Bataan Death March as a boot pharmacist mate and got bayoneted when he stopped to help a Marine who fell out. Some really tough old goats in that outfit. Old Navy to the max. I was proud to know those guys.

[doc h fmf]

I am very very Sorry Chris forgive me,it is just that I am tired of hearing people calling us medics and sailors. I love my Marine brothersand sisters. I have a lotof respect for PJs. But I sort of got upset because the corpsmen and the Mrines have the longest history of brother hood,First we werew the lobbyboy and then Pharmacist Mate and finally corpsman. I hope still can be friends,Semper Fi god bless and love you my brother.

[Mongoose]

Believe me....Chris would never intentionally show disrespect to a Navy Corpsman.

[FoxtrotOscar]

After reading the comments and in honor of our Navy Corpsmen Brothers, I went and corrected the article to reflect the correct name.

The original author apparently didn't know any better...

Sempper Fi Corpsmen, and Doc FMF...

[Robbieusmc]

There are a couple of cities in Jersey where they could train. When i get out of the Corps, i will not move back to Jersey. Thinking of Calif.

[oldtop]

there are a couple of cities in jersey where they could train. When i get out of the corps, i will not move back to jersey. Thinking of calif.

think again...

[Hammer]

I used to think that California would be a great place to live; my thinking and knowledge of California has changed completely. Too many liberals; queers, transsexuals, and Democrats for me

[Mongoose]

MY God.....someone please tell robbie to cut his tongue out, for saying Calif.

[doc h fmf]

Toall my brothers especially Chris I want toapologize from the bottom of my heart for going off the other day,especially the history of our brother hood. How many people can say that the Marines and NavyCorpsmen have over 200 plus years of brother hood.I just go off when we are called sailor and Corpsmen or worst of all medics.WE deserve to be called doc .Anyway I just wanted to apologize again Semper fi and God Bless my brothers,love you all from the bottom of my heart.


Stephen Doc HansenHM3 FMF

[Zulu 36]

Toall my brothers especially Chris I want toapologize from the bottom of my heart for going off the other day,especially the history of our brother hood. How many people can say that the Marines and NavyCorpsmen have over 200 plus years of brother hood.I just go off when we are called sailor and Corpsmen or worst of all medics.WE deserve to be called doc .Anyway I just wanted to apologize again Semper fi and God Bless my brothers,love you all from the bottom of my heart.


Stephen Doc HansenHM3 FMF

Doc, no need to apologize on my part. I understand completely.

[m14ed]

MY God.....

Someone please tell robbie
to cut his tongue out, for saying Calif.


Give'm a break Marine,

I think he's still trying to figure
just what them sounds he hears
is Comming from the
WhisperingBushes

[Mongoose]

Ed.....I know this sounds stupid.....but could you elaborate on WhisperingBushes. IN other words ....WTF is it.