US Navy Completes Medical Training in Peru

Peruvian service members practice patient movement techniques, during a subject matter expert exchange between the U.S. Navy Medical Engagement Team and Peruvian military medical personnel, as part of Southern Partnership Station 2019. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Peter Lewis/Released.

The Southern Partnership Station (SPS) 2019 MedicalEngagement Team (MET) conducted their final mass casualty drill with Peruvianmilitary medical personnel culminating a month-long series of subject matterexpert exchanges (SMEE) and field exercises.

The U.S. and Peruvian medics conducted training on a varietyof life-saving skills, including tactical combat casualty care, massivehemorrhage control, patient movement, and water and waste treatment. The METalso utilized the “train the trainer” concept, teaching several Peruvian medicsto act as instructors.

“The ‘train the trainer’ concept we utilized will allow thePeruvian military to continue with training their service members in thesetactical trauma care concepts, creating a medical force multiplier,” said Lt.Cmdr. Loren Nedelman, MET officer in charge, assigned to Naval Branch HealthClinic Annapolis, Md.

“This was a great experience for me, my fellow service members, and my country,” said Peruvian Tecnico Primero Cilvio Moran Andrade. “As trained instructors, we can now provide our personnel with better knowledge to save their own lives and the lives of others, if necessary. We can now socialize these skills with all of our other units, even after our American allies return home. This interaction between our countries is a great benefit to our military.”

The Peruvian military was not the only one to benefit fromthe interactions; the MET agreed that they learned much from their LatinAmerican counterparts.

Peruvian service members prepare to evacuate a patient with simulated injuries during a mass casualty drill between the U.S. Navy Medical Engagement Team and Peruvian military medical personnel as part of Southern Partnership Station 2019. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Peter Lewis/Released.

“Bringing their medical capabilities in line with our ownwill ensure that when we operate jointly, whether during exercises orhumanitarian and disaster relief response, a common medical language will bespoken,” Nedelman added. “Utilizing the knowledge gained and shared during ourmission ensures our ability to enhance cooperation and allows for us to buildone team for one fight.”

Several commandos from the Peruvian Pelotones de AccionDirecta participated in the training and mass casualty drill. They said thatthe training was “very beneficial and helpful in refreshing skills that weroutinely use when on mission.”

“This training was very important because the Americansbrought us new techniques and helped us update our skills,” said PeruvianInfanteria de Marina Tecnico Primero Abelino Benites Illescas. “We are prettygood at first aid, but this training will make us even better at tactical fieldcare.”

The Peruvian participants put the skills they learned intopractice during the exercise. The mass casualty drill involved treatment of alarge group of service members with simulated injuries such as lacerations,fractures, penetrating injuries, burns and shock.  Members of the MET agreed that the Peruvianmedics performed exceptionally and were willing and able to put the skills theylearned into action.

SPS is an annual series of U.S. Navy deployments focused onexchanges with regional partner nation militaries and security forces. SPS 19consists of training and subject matter expert exchanges to improve capacity inmedical, dive operations, and engineering throughout Barbados, Colombia,Guatemala, Honduras and Peru

SPS is part of U.S. Southern Command’s Enduring Promiseinitiative and reflects the United States’ dedication to partnership andsolidarity with the Caribbean, Central and South America. U.S. Naval ForcesSouthern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet is committed to supporting the efforts ofpartner nations to increase institutional capacity and regional collaborationfor humanitarian assistance and disaster relief – one of the greatestchallenges facing the region.