Mountain View Magazine June

Tales From Medevac Page 4 Bl IN Pr A oo SI og fg d D re ha Ne E: ss n ed in Me ed D di ay c ku nd i June 2011  Airborne Aid Page 4 Regulars 4 Pfc. Shawn Williams 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, gives the thumbs-up to members of his unit as he is evacuated after being injured by a roadside bomb June 17 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan. 10 The Mountainview magazine Around RC-South Page 14 Latest LOLs Page 16 Regional Command South Commanding General Maj. Gen. James L. Terry Command Sergeant Major Command Sgt. Maj. Christopher Greca The Mountain View is an authorized publication for members of coalition forces. Contents of The Mountain View are not necessarily official views of, or endorsed by, coalition governments. All editorial content of The Mountain View is prepared, edited, provided and approved by the Regional Command South Public Affairs Office. Top Shots Page 8 Columns Command Column Page 13 The Don says Page 12 2 On the cover Donors to the rescue Page 10 Photo by Lt. j.g. Haraz Ghanbari Table Of Contents Local Lifesaver Editorial Staff RC-South PAO Lt. Col. Web Wright RC-South PAO NCOIC Master Sgt. Tami Hillis Command Information OIC Lt. j.g. Haraz N. Ghanbari Managing Editor Sgt. Matthew Diaz 14 Afghan Air Force flight medic Sgt. Gulap Ahmadzia checks the blood pressure and pulse on an Afghan National Army soldier as he is medevaced to the ANA hospital at Camp Hero. The man fell from the back of a military vehicle and suffered injuries to his shoulder and head, as well as a possible spinal injury. Ahmadzia is the first Afghan flight medic to join American medevac crews as they evacuate more serious patients from the battlefield. (Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Stephanie L. Carl) Read the story on page 16 Media queries please contact RC-South Public Affairs at 10thmtnpao@gmail.com Contributing Units TF Kandahar TF Lightning TF Spartan TF Thunder TF Warhorse CT Uruzgan CT Zabul NTM-A 16th MPAD  The Golden Hour Battlefield critical care 4 Story and photos by Lt. j.g. Haraz N. Ghanbari  KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan — An air ambulance crew from Company C, 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment, just finished their lunch in a small break room in southern Afghanistan when a nine-line medevac request was received. The time was 1:51 p.m., and within a matter of seconds the Army Soldiers, who are deployed from Fort Wainwright, Alaska, ran a couple of hundred yards to two Black Hawk helicopters. As the co-pilot and crew chief prepared their helicopter for the critical mission, the pilot and medic were inside the tactical operation center getting grid coordinates and information on the patient. Another couple of minutes passed, and the pilot and medic headed to the helicopter to suit up. Roughly 10 minutes elapsed since the initial request was received, and the helicopters were now airborne en route to Sha Wali Kot. U.S. Army Pfc. Shawn Williams, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, also based in Fort Wainwright, was driving a Stryker vehicle when a roadside bomb detonated and ignited the vehicle on fire. Williams’ foot was fractured, his face covered with hot grease and his right and left hands suffered second-degree burns. As flames engulfed the Stryker and thick black smoke filled the blue Afghan sky, Williams’ battle buddies stabilized him, wrapping his right hand in gauze and providing support to his right foot, while relaying information to the incoming medical evacuation crew. Two Kiowa Warrior helicopters circled overhead providing firepower and checking for additional enemy threats as the medevac pilots made a final approach to the landing zone. “At the (point of injury), the first thing I was concerned about was the security of the pick-up location. Secondary (improvised explosive devices) targeting the medevac helicopter is a very real threat for us, so we are always looking below and around the helicopter,” explained U.S. Army Sgt. Daniel Sherwin, the onboard flight medic. “A captain approached me and briefly told me the injuries of the patients, and their medic gave me a quick run down of the treatment.” The nine-line medevac request only noted one patient, but Sherwin learned after landing that another Soldier sustained a possible traumatic brain injury. Four Stryker Soldiers carried Williams on a litter toward the helicopter, its blades still turning as it sat within eyesight of the damaged Stryker - ammunition exploding inside from the intense heat. Sherwin, a Canadian citizen who has been in the U.S. Army for seven years and is on his second combat tour, walked alongside Williams doing an initial assessment of the patient. Almost 20 yards from the door of the helicopter, Williams, raised his left hand, 6 blackened from grease, and gave his unit the thumbs-up. Once loaded into the helicopter, the pilots lifted off quickly over the hills and mountains as Sherwin began a more complete evaluation. From head to toe, he checked Williams’ injuries, making sure his airway was clear, he was breathing okay and that he wasn’t bleeding. “We got the guys loaded as quickly as possible and took off,” said Sherwin. “One of the biggest things we have to offer is speed, so getting off the ground and on our way to the hospital is essential.” Sherwin needed to remove Williams’ improved outer tactical vest, a specially designed piece of equipment used to protect service members from war-zone hazards such as shrapnel and different types of ammunition. The vest and its components, typically weighing between 30 to 35 pounds, are at times cumbersome to remove so Sherwin pulls a lanyard attached to the vest, causing it to quickly fall apart into four pieces so the triage can continue. Williams is a priority patient known as “Category A,” because of the potential for loss of life, limb or eyesight. “I was very concerned about his airway, because inhalations burns will cause swelling,” said Sherwin. “I looked in his nose and mouth to see if there were any signs of burns, and was relieved to not see any.” Cutting off Williams’ combat shirt and pant legs, Sherwin takes a pulse and starts an IV while monitoring other vital signs. Due to the noise and vibration of the helicopter it can be difficult to monitor a patient’s breathing, but Sherwin says looking at and feeling the rise and fall of the chest works well. “The second patient was clearly shaken by the incident, but was in stable condition; he was concerned about his buddy,” said Sherwin. “I quickly got some vital signs on him to be sure he was as stable as he appeared to be. Simply giving them a thumbs-up and getting one in return is reassuring to both us and the patient.” Back on Kandahar Airfield, a distinct series of highpitched tones alerting the medical staff of an inbound Cat. A, cuts through the chatter of nurses and doctors tending to patients at the NATO Role 3 Multinational Medical Unit. Within moments, a small group of hospital corpsman who comprise the emergency vehicle operator course team quickly gather their protective helmets and goggles as they reach for their pagers to read the short description of the inbound patients’ wounds. Climbing into the rear of a specially designed humvee ambulance, the head of the afternoon’s EVOC team radios the hospital’s tactical operations center for an update. The ride from the trauma bay to the flight line is short, but long enough to discuss any critical information about the patient. Sometimes the patient is stabilized, but other times the corpsmen may need to assist with rending continuous medical treatment until a nurse or doctor takes over in the survival increase dramatically. trauma department. As part of the transfer of care Sherwin says that all Pulling up to the edge of the flight line, the driver of the information the medevac crew relays is particularly positions the humvee as the helicopter pilot makes a fast important if the patient is unresponsive, but if the patient approach to the landing zone. The rotor wash is so strong the is alert and oriented - talking to the doctors and not in any corpsmen brace themselves against the side of the humvee apparent distress - the doctors typically can gather a great until the helicopter has landed to prevent being blown over. deal about the patient’s general condition. Two by two, the corpsmen carefully move toward After various tests and treatments, approximately six the side of the Black Hawk as Sherwin opens the door. Two hours have passed since Williams arrived at the Role 3, and corpsmen carry the “head” or top of the litter and two carry he is recovering in a room with other service members. It’s the “feet” or bottom of the litter. nearly 9 p.m. and Williams receives a visit by the chief of The time is 2:51 p.m., and Williams and the second staff and command sergeant major for International Security patient are loaded into the ambulance, as a hospital corpsman Assistance Force Regional Command South and 10th and Sherwin accompany them. The corpsman radios ahead, Mountain Division (Light Infantry). and roughly 45 seconds later the team unloads Williams, The 21-year-old private first class from Wichita, securing him to a combat gurney before another team from Kan., his face now free from grease, his foot better stabilized the trauma department takes over. The second patient was and his burns beginning to heal, recalls his escape from the able to walk inside. burning Stryker and his medevac flight to the hospital. Once inside the trauma bay, Sherwin quickly briefs Col. Erik C. Peterson, the chief of staff requests for a team of U.S. Navy doctors, nurses and corpsmen along the orders to be read awarding Williams the Purple Heart with medical for wounds received professionals from in action. As other other countries service members who then begin stand at attention, more advanced Peterson clips the treatment. medal to a white Sherwin blanket Williams is said the trauma using to keep warm. team is briefed on Peterson asks Williams about his the mechanism family and his unit, of injury, injuries and then the three sustained that have share a few laughs. been found, all the Prior to departing, vital signs, and Command Sgt. Maj. all the findings in Christopher Greca, an assessment, to presents Williams include the status of their bleeding, U.S. Army Pfc. Shawn Williams of the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry with a command coin. Division, based in Fort Wainwright, Alaska, right, is treated by flight medic U.S. Army airway, breathing Sgt. Daniel Sherwin en route to the Kandahar Airfield NATO Role 3 Multinational Medical W i l l i a m s under the and the level of Unit for additional treatment after he was injured by a roadside bomb June 17 in Kandahar rests of a consciousness. province, Afghanistan. Sherwin is assigned to Company C, 1-52 Aviation Regiment, also observation nurse and corpsman “Lastly we based in Fort Wainwright. before departing tell them all the treatments that were done for the patient, and again include for Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany for what the ground medic did and what we did for the patient additional treatment en route back to the United States. At in the air, medications administered, and the time and dose 4:25 a.m., Williams is discharged from the Role 3 for the next chapter of his recovery. given is also important for them to know.” Stories similar to Williams’ occur every day at the For Williams and his battle buddy, the transfer of care from field medic to flight medic and then to the Role 3 with patients arriving by medevac or ambulance. trauma team occurred within what is known as the “Golden Injuries range from debris in a person’s eyes to a service Hour.” Medical professionals have determined that if a member who has suffered a catastrophic injury. Patients can critically injured patient receives definitive treatment within include coalition service members, Afghan national security 60 minutes from the time of injury, his or her chances for forces, local nationals as well as military contractors.  S T O H P S O T 8 “TOP SHOTS” ENTRIES ARE OPEN TO ALL READERS. ALL “TOP SHOTS” SUBMISSIONS MUST BE IN BY THE FRIDAY BEFORE PUBLICATION DATE. SEND SUBMISSIONS TO 10THMTNPAO@GMAIL.COM  10 Story and photos by Sgt. Matthew Diaz Regional Command South Photojournalist KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan — What defines a hero of the battlefield? Is it a Soldier on the frontlines or an engineer clearing a route? Heroes come in all forms and a small group of Airmen are making their own definition at the Kandahar Airfield NATO Role 3 Multinational Medical Unit. The aphaeresis center on KAF is responsible for the collection of platelets and other blood products for Regional Command South. While blood and plasma are flown in from the United States, platelets have a shelf life of only five days. “With normal blood donations, once we take your blood you’re done for two months due to the amount of blood we take out of you,” said Air Force Capt. Aaron Lambert, chief of aphaeresis with the 75th Medical Group out of Hill Air Force Base, Utah. The Chicago native oversees the operation of platelet donation. With such a short shelf life on platelets, he said frequent donors are required. “There is no time to collect the platelets at home station and ship them here,” Lambert said. “The U.S. has decided to bring platelet centers over here and we supply for all the south of Afghanistan.” The donation process is a simple one – the first step is for potential donors to get a prescreening at the Role 3. Prescreening consists of filling out a questionnaire and giving a blood sample to be sent back to the U.S. Once the sample is tested, donors will be notified if they have been approved, and then a donation appointment can be scheduled. Donors can give platelets about once a week due to the technology used to collect the product. Blood is drawn from the donor and platelets are then separated. Once separation is complete, blood is returned to the donor, leaving no feeling of weakness and allowing for more frequent visits. “Once they make their appointment and come in, we do all the paperwork over again, just to be sure we’re getting healthy product from them,” Lambert said. “We hook them up to one of the machines and some people read or watch TV.” The entire donation process takes about two hours, during which snacks, drinks and entertainment are provided. Some service members use the donation process as an escape from a chaotic workweek. “These people know that they are doing something good for our Soldiers,” Lambert said. “The surgeon general of the Air Force called us and the people who work here, ‘the heroes off the battlefield.’” Recently, a perfect storm of bad timing and bad luck hit RC-South. It was the end of the blood cycle – the timeframe in which blood and other blood products can be used before more arrives – and multiple casualties arrived at the Role 3, all with grievous injuries. “The way that it should work is that blood comes from donors in the states to Qatar. From Qatar it’s then distributed through Iraq and Afghanistan,” said Lambert. “With the multiple traumas, they required a lot of blood product. We started the day with plenty of product, they just happened to go through all the product.” The patients were going through blood at an alarming rate and soon the hospital’s stock dwindled. Then the aphaeresis center sprang into action. “There are basically two things we can do when we get low. We can call other FOBs to request more (blood),” Lambert said. “The other thing is to activate what is called the ‘walking blood bank’.” A mass e-mail was sent out seeking donors with type-O blood who have already been prescreened. The response was overwhelming. The Airmen were drawing blood for five hours straight before the need was finally met. “We drew about six times what they normally have in the past,” Lambert added. The walking blood bank was a huge success in the end. All patients requiring blood products were stabilized and flown out of theatre for ongoing treatment. “We were never at a stoppage, we never did not have the ability to get product,” Lambert said. The walking blood bank is a big help in saving lives, but it doesn’t work without donors. And what do donors get out of the deal? For most it brings a sense of pride. “It’s an amazing feeling just knowing that I had a huge part in someone’s recovery,” said U.S. Navy Seaman Raven Crook, a hospitalman assigned to the Role 3. “This is my second time being a walking donor.” As long as the aphaeresis team is working hard at the Role 3, no service member will have to worry about lacking life-saving blood products should the worst happen to them on the battlefield. But everyone needs to do his or her part. And how do you help? “Come out and donate,” Lambert said with a smile. Air Force Capt. Aaron Lambert, chief of aphaeresis with the 75th Medical Group out of Hill Air Force Base, Utah, relaxes in a plush chair while donating platelets at the Kandahar Airfield NATO Role 3 Multinational Medical Unit.  As you know there is a new standard for carrying you “CAT” or combat action tourniquet, it is to be carried in your right shoulder pocket with the tab showing. This is to benefit all of us in case there were to be a casualty and you needed to apply a tourniquet. This location is easy to find and the red tab allows for quick response for the casualty. I have heard of some grumblings about the tab showing and the new location but this is a good thing. This is a way to ensure that all personnel are carrying their tourniquet and that everyone knows where it is located. The bottom line is that tourniquets save lives. Everyone should know how to use one and where and when to apply one. If you or your section needs a refresher course on the “CAT” please feel free to come by the batallion aid station here on Regional Command South for instructions. Cultural Considerations: Afghan marriage customs demand that the festivities are spread over three days. The ceremonies are conducted between 6 p.m and 2 a.m. The ceremony begins with the bride and the groom exchanging vows in the presence of the mullah or priest. The priest will read sections from the Quran and direct the bride and the groom through the ceremony. This is a family event in which close family and friends participate. The next part of the wedding is similar to the western marriage reception. This is normally hosted by the groom’s family and a large number of guests are invited to attend. In conservative Afghan families, the female and male guests are separated and entertained in exclusive areas. Lavish dinner is provided and after dinner, the bride and groom walk up the aisle as they are showered with sweets and flowers and a special song is played known as the Asta Burrow meaning “go slow.” The bride and groom then seat themselves on a raised stage. They then go through several rituals, exchange rings and cut the cake. In the morning, breakfast is served and the bride and groom are taken to their wedding chamber and left alone. 12 Soldier In The Spotlight Name: Spc. Janalu Swenson Unit: 511th MP CO, 504th MP BN, 1BCT, 4th ID Hometown: Santarita, Guam Spc. Janalu Swenson has been serving as a driver in 3rd Platoon, 511th Military Police Company, Police Sub Station 3, Kandahar, Afghanistan. Due to her maturity and understanding of the unit’s mission, Swenson has distinguished herself by being selected to conduct female engagements with the Human Intelligence Collection Team. Working well above her skill level, Swenson has been able to extract information from female local nationals where male Human Intelligence Collection Teams have been unsuccessful. Over the last two months, there have been some major developments in Afghanistan. We know the Taliban’s capabilities have been significantly reduced, we are seeing gains in the Afghan National Security Forces and we are witness as developments in governance at the district and provincial level begin to take hold. One of the most significant events was the killing of Osama bin Laden, which caused much speculation about the effect it would have on our mission here. Let me take a minute and share my views to help you sort this out. President Obama recently outlined his objectives for the U.S. military mission in Afghanistan. His decisions were informed by advice from senior military leaders, civilian advisers and his cabinet. His decision took into account the military situation, the economy and a full range of national security matters. Based on all of these factors, he laid out a timetable for withdrawing the ‘surge’ troops deployed in 2009 and 2010, of which most of us are a part. He directed that 10,000 troops be withdrawn by the end of the year with the rest of the surge troops to leave by the summer of 2012 and that security of Afghanistan be handed over to the Afghan government by 2014. Let me assure you that our commitment to Afghanistan and our mission remains unchanged. What we are tasked to do here remains valid. The ongoing offensive operations are necessary to dismantle the insurgent networks and to solidify the gains that we have fought so hard to achieve. We must continue to take the fight to the enemy while countering their every attempt to regain the initiative. Simultaneously, we must continue to work alongside our Afghan partners to build their capability to protect and provide for the people of Afghanistan The U.S. surge is not over. Our troops will remain in theater for some time, withdrawing to meet the president’s timeline. The ISAF and IJC commands in Kabul are working hard to develop plans to off-ramp forces in compliance with the president’s direction, all the while transitioning to Afghan-lead where transition is warranted. During this same time, the Afghans will continue to build up their own forces. Our ANSF partners have already expanded their size and capabilities, increasing their own numbers by 80,000 since December 2009 with a target end strength of 352,000 by November 2012. The day after his speech, President Obama visited Fort Drum, telling those 10th Mountain Soldiers and families in attendance that, “because of what you’ve done, areas like Kandahar are more secure than they have been in years.” This is a testament to our hard work and sacrifices and you should be proud. Acknowledging the efforts of U.S. service members, civilian personnel and our many coalition partners, the president said we have turned a corner which provides us the opportunity to begin to draw down our forces in a way that ensures the gains you have achieved will be sustained.  The ISAF commitment to Afghanistan remains strong. Our enduring partnership and our commitment to Afghanistan and her people will last far beyond the end of our combat mission. I am proud of all of you, and I look forward to seeing you on the battlefield. “This is the time, this is the place, and we are the team.” CORNER r u o y Have COMMAND COLUMN Spc. Don W. Ellen The Don Says ... tourniquet! CHAPLAIN’S The Involved Father CH (MAJ) Herman Cheatham Below are some things I gathered from an article on Focus on the Family’s website. I’ll just highlight a few things. Fathers parent differently. By eight weeks of age, infants can tell the difference between their mother’s and father’s interaction with them. This diversity, in itself, provides children with a broader, richer experience of contrasting relational interactions. Whether they realize it or not, children are learning, by sheer experience, that men and women are different and have different ways of dealing with life, other adults and children. This understanding is critical for their development. Fathers build confidence. Go to any playground and listen to the parents. Who is encouraging kids to swing or climb just a little higher, ride their bike just a little faster, throw just a little harder? Who is encouraging kids to be careful? Mothers protect and dads encourage kids to push the limits. Either of these parenting styles by themselves can be unhealthy. One can tend toward encouraging risk without consideration of consequences. The other tends to avoid risk, which can fail to build independence and confidence. Together, they help children remain safe while expanding their experiences and increasing their confidence. Fathers discipline differently. Educational psychologist Carol Gilligan tells us that fathers stress justice, fairness and duty (based on rules), while mothers stress sympathy, care and help (based on relationships). Fathers tend to observe and enforce rules systematically and sternly, teaching children the consequences of right and wrong. Mothers tend toward grace and sympathy, providing a sense of hopefulness. Again, either of these disciplinary approaches by themselves is not good, but together, they create a healthy, proper balance. Fathers prepare children for the real world. Involved dads help children see that attitudes and behaviors have consequences. For instance, fathers are more likely than mothers to tell their children that if they are not nice to others, kids will not want to play with them. Or, if they don’t do well in school, they will not get into a good college or secure a desirable job. Fathers help children prepare for the reality and harshness of the world. http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/ parenting_roles/the_involved_father.aspx  Daykundi: A model for success in southern Afghanistan Story and photos by Sgt. Sam P. Dillon Regional Command South Photojournalist 14 DAYKUNDI PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Nestled at the base of a 12,000-foot mountain lies the town of Nili, the provincial capital of Daykundi. In the streets of Nili, people are powering their motorcycles and vans up and down the steep and narrow roads. People on foot meander through the shops of the town’s bazaar, and children walk with books in hand on their way to the local schools. No one really rushes, or seems to be on edge. It is just another peaceful day in the largest town in Daykundi. DAYKUNDI PROVINCE, Afghanistan – In the International Security Assistance Force’s Regional Command South, lack of security has plagued the area since the start of Operation Enduring Freedom nearly 10 years ago. The region, consisting of Kandahar, Zabul, Uruzgan and Daykundi provinces, has been the Taliban’s stronghold throughout much of the war, except for one province, Daykundi. The people of Daykundi, mostly Hazara (Mongolian descendents living primarily in central Afghanistan), have secured their province to the point where only minimal ISAF service members are needed within the province, and many different aid projects are underway. In fact, the security of the province is so good that Daykundi Governor Qurban Ali Orugani says that the government of Afghanistan will announce that control of the province will be returned to the people of Daykundi in October, and all ISAF service members will be pulled out of the province. This security has made way for many different aid projects to bolster the infrastructure of the area. The newest project completed being the Nili Airstrip, a 900-meter dirt runway that was completed on June 12. Members of the U.S. Agency for International Development contracted the project out to the Central Asia Development Group, a company that specializes in engineering, project management, civil design, agriculture, finance and economics. The company locally hired a staff of 400 men. Paying the construction crew $6 to $14 per day and using mostly hand tools, the work force moved nearly 200 metric tons of earth, costing a total of $946,000 to finish the project. “We use all local goods and materials from lumber to gasoline, so in the end all the money is going to the people of Nili,” said Frank Martin Leyland, a USAID employee. Another project backed by Central Asia Development Group is the Tamazan Pass road project. This project has an initiative of completing a nearly three and a quarter mile long paved road through the mountainous pass. The road will connect the provincial capital and the village of Tamazan, and open up interior Daykundi to farther larger towns to the south. The construction project will be budgeted for $365,000 and is estimated to be finished by the end of September. “For 20 years there was no non-government organizations that would go near that area and it was my desire to change that,” said Leyland. “For me the main reason is to help with the security of this province.” The Nili footpath, another Central Asia Development Group project, is just one more example of the many projects transforming the infrastructure of interior Afghanistan. The three and three quarter mile long path will wind its way through the heart of the town and will be made of a crushed rock surface to help with drainage. The path will help a prominently walking town navigate throughout and will cost nearly $600,000 with a projected completion time of September. “When the snow melts you get two months of sludge and this is a walking city,” said Leyland. The student body is the most impressive part of Daykundi. They have grown at an exponential rate of nearly 1,800 percent in only seven years. Children walk for miles to attend a school with no windows or even enough room to fit all the students. Many of the students attend class in makeshift classrooms made of poles with blankets hanging off the sides. Due to the progressive thinking of Hazara people in Daykundi, said Gina Mansouri Ladenheim, RC-South cultural adviser, there are two new school projects underway to build new structures at two of the three campuses in the Nili area, adding additional classrooms and expanding the educational opportunity for the children of Nili. “The new school will help us out a lot. It will give us eight additional classrooms,” said Khadija Mousawi, Gandanak Girls’ School principal. Nili also has a hospital with a 44-person staff consisting of doctors, nurses, midwives, anesthesiologist, X-ray technician, lab technician and a dentist. The hospital was built four years ago and consists of two wards: a surgery ward, housing 20 beds, and a maternity ward with eight beds. The majority of patients in the hospital are for pregnancies, nearly 65 a month, and many of the births are premature. This is a problem for the hospital. The hospital doesn’t have power at night, and neither does the rest of Nili. The only power sources are gas-powered generators or solar panels, which were installed a couple of years ago throughout the town. But the hospital doesn’t have either power sources. The equipment for the premature newborns doesn’t run 24 hours a day, which leads to a high infant mortality rate. “The public opinion in Daykundi is to have one child a year and that maybe one will survive,” said Hava Rezaie, director of women’s affairs for Daykundi. This is only part of the problem though, because of the high amount of pregnancies in the province and the low number of beds in the maternity ward many of the women only get six to 24 hours of recovery time post birth, said Ali Akbaor, director of nurses. “This doesn’t give the mothers much recovery from the pregnancy and it’s setting them up for infections once they leave the hospital,” Akbaor said. “We see a lot of them back, if not here, at the clinic.” This is the one blemish in an overall developing province. Due to the ability of the people of Daykundi to secure their province, much more development has been able to take place, which has made the life of the people of Nili easier and brought more stability to the region. Abraham Niazi, an Afghan security guard, poses for a photo on a hilltop over looking part of Nili. Security in Daykundi has brought many development organizations to build the infrastracture within Nili.  THIS JUST IN! FROM THE INTERNET Soldier’s Board What are the two physical fitness formations? 10-Mile Combat Relay July 17 at the Bazaar Lake Five-Soldier team event (within same organization) Each leg runs two miles (3.2k) Each team member will hand off a weapon and 30-pound rucksack to the next leg Awards given to the top five relay teams Register at the Boardwalk Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Extended Rectangular Circular Point of contact is Sgt. Costas at gregory.costas@swa.army.mil 12 16 Afghan Air Force medic takes experience to new heights Story and photo by Sgt. 1st Class Stephanie L. Carl “Having Sergeant Gulap with us also really helped with our KANDAHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan – After about 20 medevac missions to evacuate mildly injured Afghans, Afghan Air Forcepatients,” Clark said. “When we picked up the patient who fell off the flight medic Sgt. Gulap Ahmadzia gained a new level of experience todaybarrier, the only thing we knew was that he was being belligerent. Sergeant as he became the first Afghan to treat a Category B patient during flight. Gulap was able to talk with him and keep him calm.” “We don’t have much opportunity in the clinic to treat this type While language differences can impact medevac missions, of patient,” said Ahmadzia. they didn’t impact the integration with Ahmadzia. The two medics used Instead, Ahmadzia joined the medevac crews of Company C, 1stbasic medical terms to talk with each other, and they didn’t run into any Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment, as they evacuated four Afghans whoconfusion. Some of this comes from the extensive training Ahmadzia has had suffered mid-grade injuries and were classified as Cat. B. received in the past. Cat. B patients require medical evacuation to a higher level of Ahmadzia is one of seven flight medics who have been working care within four hours before they are at risk with the 441st Air Expeditionary of losing life, limb or eyesight. The patients Advisory Squadron to further their skills. Ahmadzia treated had suffered a variety of The ultimate goal is for the Afghan injuries. Air Force to become the primary unit The first was an Afghan soldier responsible for evacuating Afghan who was hit with shrapnel from an RPG. patients; a goal the medics are quickly The second was an Afghan soldier who fell progressing toward. from a barrier after hearing the news of his The training all the medics participate son’s passing and suffered a spinal injury. in focuses on preparing them to treat After retrieving these two patients more serious patients while in a moving and delivering them to Camp Hero – the aircraft rather than just on the ground, Afghan National Army hospital here – for explained Air Force Tech. Sgt. Steven further treatment, Ahmadzia thought he A. Guillen, the flight medic advisor would get a chance to stop for lunch. But for the 441st AEAS. The medics have duty called. already conducted evacuations of less The UH-60A Black Hawk critical patients, but they haven’t had helicopter lifted off once again, this time the exposure to the ones who require to pick up an Afghan soldier who fell from immediate care. a vehicle and landed on his head. Once “This interaction today is the biggest Ahmadzia and his American counterpart, step toward the hands-on experience Staff Sgt. Kyle Clark, loaded their patient these guys need to be able to perform the into the aircraft, he began checking the mission,” said Guillen. patient’s vital signs and hooked up an IV While today was the biggest step, it Afghan Air Force flight medic Sgt. Gulap Ahmadzia wasn’t the only one. The Afghan medics drip. helps load an Afghan patient into a UH-60A Black will continue to work with the American “At one point, his oxygen Hawk helicopter. The man was involved in a motorcycle teams on a regular basis, gradually saturation level dropped to 93,” Clark said. accident that left him with a broken nose, broken bones increasing the severity of the patients “The normal level is 95.” around his eye and the potential for a neck or spinal they treat. When this happened, Ahmadzia injury. Ahmadzia is the first Afghan flight medic to “They’re already capable of handling leaned in to explain to the man that he was join American medevac crews as they evacuate more the most critical patients medically,” said going to put an oxygen mask on him. The serious patients from the battlefield. patient’s numbers quickly rose back to normal. Guillen. “But they haven’t been getting Ahmadzia had the advantage of the trauma and wartime experience they being able to talk to the patient in his native language. This also came inreally need to do the mission in this country.” handy at Camp Hero, where he quickly exited the ambulance and went to It’s a mission Ahmadzia said he takes on with pride. brief the Afghan doctors on the patients’ conditions and what treatment “I can serve my people,” he said of the experience’s impact on had been provided thus far. his ability as a medic. “I can serve my country.” Become a friend and check in often for the latest news, pictures and video from RC-South. FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/ISAF.RCSouth TUMBLR The Mountain View Magazine wants your input! www.ISAF-RCSouth.Tumblr.com We are looking for cartoonists, columnists, TWITTER sports fanatics and many more to contribute. www.twitter.com/ISAF_RCSouth If interested, contact the RC-South Public AfYOUTUBE fairs Office at 10thmtnpao@gmail.com. www.youtube.com/user/ISAFRCSouth DVIDS www.dvidshub.net/units/RC-S