Airman, Sailor save Peruvian soldier Published June 12, 2008 By Tech. Sgt. Kerry Jackson Task Force New Horizons Public Affairs HUANTA, Peru (AFPN) -- An Airman and Sailor saved the life of a Peruvian soldier supporting Task Force New Horizons-Peru 2008 June 8 here. Tech. Sgt. Christopher Clark, a medical technician for Task Force New Horizons, and Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Brennen Lawson helped care for the Peruvian soldier who suffered from severe abdominal pain and stopped breathing as he was being transported to a local hospital. The ordeal began the morning of June 8 when Sergeant Clark attempted to treat the soldier who was helping to secure the New Horizons construction site, who had complained of intense abdominal pain. Communication between the soldier and Air Force medic was challenging; the Peruvian soldier did not speak English, and Sergeant Clark spoke very little Spanish. Communication rested almost entirely on hand gestures. The soldier's symptoms pointed to heartburn, a condition routinely alleviated by over-the-counter medicine. Sergeant Clark gave the soldier medicine and instructed him to get rest, and asked the soldier's fellow troops to alert him if the soldier's condition did not improve after two hours. Hours passed and the soldier's abdominal pain worsened, becoming more intense and unbearable. Petty Officer Lawson, who found the soldier inside his tent in extreme pain, alerted Sergeant Clark, who instantly responded, deciding to transport the soldier quickly to the hospital. "His vital signs were stable at the time," Sergeant Clark said. "We immediately loaded the soldier on a litter and into the back of a pick-up truck for transport to Huanta Hospital. The soldier was screaming and moaning continuously." As the team was transporting the Peruvian soldier to the hospital to address his severe abdominal pain, the bumpy drive proved to be more harrowing than they had anticipated. The soldier, who moments before had been writhing in pain, grew silent. He had stopped breathing. Sergeant Clark said he shifted his focus from relieving the patient's pain to restoring critical life functions. He ordered the truck driver, who was rushing through the unpaved roads of Peru, to stop the vehicle while he administered rescue breathing to the soldier. One rescue breath and seconds later, the soldier was revived. "Basically I did what the Air Force trained us to do in a situation like this," Sergeant Clark said. "I gave the Peruvian soldier the same level of care I'd provide a U.S. Soldier -- or any patient under our care." The sergeant inserted an intravenous saline solution in the soldier's arm. After about 15 minutes the soldier abruptly stopped shouting, and according to Sergeant Clark he was unresponsive. "I had the driver stop and found the patient in respiratory arrest," he said. "I gave him one rescue breath and within two seconds he coughed, breathed and started moaning again." Sergeant Clark instructed the driver to continue toward the hospital, where they arrived five minutes later to carry the soldier to the emergency room for immediate abdominal surgery. The New Horizons team is comprised of members from every branch of the U.S. military who are in the process of constructing two schools, three clinics and two wells in the Ayacucho region to benefit local citizens. While the results of these projects may be weeks away, helping to save lives in such immediate circumstances makes the temporary presence of U.S. troops all the more beneficial, Sergeant Clark said. "This is my second time participating in a New Horizons project, and I've seen the positive impact it has had both on the local communities and our own Airmen," Sergeant Clark said. "But I'm really thankful to have been here at the right time and place to help this Peruvian soldier -- our friend." Comment on this story (comments may be published on Air Force Link) View the comments/letters page