Aviano Airmen train in self aid, buddy care

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Justin Goodrich
  • Detachment 8, Air Force News Agency
AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy (AFNEWS) --  Wrapping second- and third-degree burns and splinting bone fractures were just two parts of the self aid and buddy care training Airmen learned from instructors from the 31st Medical Group Feb. 6 here.

This training will be put to the test during a tactical evaluation here in March, and can be essential for Airmen gearing up for deployments to operations Iraqi Freedom or Enduring Freedom.

"When we're being (evaluated) we know how to take care of one another; and if we're by ourselves we know how to take care of ourselves," said Airman 1st Class Stephanie Nelson, one of the training participants. "I learned how to carry people. It was pretty cool."

These warfighters learned proper litter-carrying techniques to avoid further injury to a fallen Airman, and at the same time learned how to accomplish this task as a team.

"Communication is key," said Tech. Sgt. David Desjardin, a trainer from the 31st MDG. "If they're not talking to each other, they're not going to know what the other individual is taking care of and what the individual is doing."

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