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Task Force Cyclone Afghanistan: Cyclone Members Prepare for Worst

By U.S. Army Spc. William E. Henry, Task Force Cyclone, 38th Infantry

Imagine you're snug in your warm bed in the cold early morning hours only to be awakened by a loud voice that sounds outside. "Code purple, code, purple, mass casualty in the CCPs," the voice repeats.

You scramble to dress and assemble your combat lifesaver (CLS) gear as fast as you can. Then run to the casualty collection point (CCP) to assess the current group of mass casualties with an array of injuries. For training this is what Task Force Cyclone combat lifesavers went through during a quarterly scenario at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, Nov. 13, in case of the occurrence of a mass casualty (MASCAL) event.

Seventeen Soldiers from the task force went through the month-long process to review, remember and be tested on their combat lifesaver skills. The blocks of instruction included on site processes, assessment of casualties and hands-on emergency treatment.

Task Force Cyclone Soldiers Sgt. Benjamin Hermus, Speedway, Ind., and Spc. Henry Mitchell, Indianapolis, give aid to a Kentucky Agribusiness Development Team role player during a quarterly training exercise held at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan. The group of Soldiers trained for about a month to prepare for a final mass casualty scenario. (Photo by U.S. Army Spc. William E. Henry, Task Force Cyclone, 38th Infantry Division)

The exercise was base-wide including multiple task forces, security personnel and medical professionals. Task Forces Thunder, Lightning, and Med practiced the exercise, while Combined Joint Task Force - 82 oversaw the operations. There were about 40 people who contributed to the work just at CCP-1 with Task Force Cyclone.

According to Maj. Michael Fenchak, Task Force Cyclone medical operations officer, this exercise was in preparation to assist the on-post hospital and medical personnel with a MASCAL event. "The purpose of this was to coordinate actions of individual CCPs in order to work in synch with the Craig Joint Theater Hospital in the event there is a catastrophic event on BAF with causalities greater than the Hospital can handle," said Fenchak.

Task Force Cyclone's medical noncommissioned officer in charge, Staff Sgt. David Irving, worked closely with Sgt Isaac Jones, Kentucky Agribusiness Development Team medical NCOIC, to develop a challenging training plan for the Soldiers.

Kentucky Agribusiness Development Team member, Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Ramsey, of Richmond, Ky., receives medical treatment for a head wound as a role player from Task Force Cyclone members, Spc. Jonathan Dyar, resident of Fort Wayne, Ind., and Sgt. Nancy Hughes of Indianapolis, during a quarterly training exercise held at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan. The group of Soldiers trained for about a month to prepare for a final mass casualty scenario. (Photo by U.S. Army Spc. William E. Henry, Task Force Cyclone, 38th Infantry Division)

"Most CLSs only get training once a year. By doing these additional exercises it keeps stuff fresh in their head and they can better react and treat if we have an actual mass casualty," said Jones, a resident of Lexington, Ky. "There is a lot of mass confusion and mass hysteria that goes on at a CCP during a MASCAL event. The purpose is to get them used to that confusion, get them to work around that confusion," said Irving, a resident of Kokomo, Ind. "So they don't freak out or freeze up and they can deal with it."

According to Irving, by repeating the steps and processes of a CCP and practicing the motions of how it all operates will become routine functions for the Soldiers. "It's all about muscle memory. If you keep setting it up the same way and you keep tearing it down the same way, it's going to become repetition," said Irving. "That's what happened today. Everybody knew exactly where everything was supposed to go. They immediately started doing it and it was awesome."

The task force Soldiers who participated said they feel more comfortable with their abilities to assist casualties.
"It's a very good experience and we'll definitely know what to do if one does happen," said Sgt. Benjamin Hermus, a help desk NCO from Speedway, Ind. "There's no real way to expect what's going to happen at a MASCAL. But at least we will be a little calmer about it and know exactly what we're supposed to do if that time comes."

"If you do it over and over you know what to do in certain situations you know how everything rolls, said Pfc. Sean McGillem, a civil-military operations assistant from Bainbridge, Ind.

"It helps you on your practice on your CLS, what to do with certain injuries and how to assess a patient. It was great training and I'm glad I got be a part of it. It can help me in the civilian world as well as the military world," said McGillem, also a volunteer fireman in Indiana.

Both medical NCOs were impressed with the performance of the Soldiers and Irving was especially thankful for the assistance of the Kentucky ADT who played the part of the casualties in the scenarios.

"I think everyone showed hustle. They did the right treatment and got everything set up the way it's supposed to be set up," said Jones. "Everything that needed to be done got done. They did really well. Some of the best ones I've seen, for not having done it as much as some units have." "I think all of our Soldiers did awesome-rific, especially for a group of folks that they are with no medical training except CLS," Irving said. "They're perfect, they were great. We couldn't have done it without the Kentucky guys."