US Army combat medic, Angolan partners save life, during medical readiness exercise

Story by 1st Lt. Katherine Sibilla

U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa

LUANDA, Angola — When an Angolan woman suddenly went into cardiac arrest in the Luanda military hospital, U.S. Army Spc. Joshua Ford knew exactly what to do.

Amid the noise and urgency of the emergency room, Ford and his teammates from the 934th Forward Resuscitative Surgical Detachment (FRSD) saved her life.

As a U.S. Army Reserve combat medic, the life-saving skills he has developed proved instrumental during the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa’s (SETAF-AF) medical readiness exercise (MEDREX) in Angola.

“The Army is really good about building that muscle memory, so when an emergency presents itself, I automatically fall back on tactical combat casualty care,” said Ford.

Alongside Angolan military healthcare providers, Ford and his teammates from the 934th FRSD have been aiding countless Angolan citizens.
The cardiac arrest that Ford assisted with was not his first, but situations like this have driven him to serve both his country and his community.

“I’ve always wanted to help people and be the first one in,” Ford explained. “That’s what drew me to being a medic and a police officer. I want to help as much as I can.”

The medical skills Ford developed in the Army directly impact his day-to-day life as a Salt Lake City police officer. While on duty, Ford is often the first on the scene, which frequently requires him to apply casualty care.

During SETAF-AF’s MEDREX in Angola, Ford and his colleagues from the 934th FRSD have been helping save lives alongside their Angolan counterparts in both the operating and emergency rooms. The exercise enhances the readiness of both U.S. and Angolan medical health professionals and builds robust partnerships.

Reflecting on the exercise, Ford said, “I like that we’re building a more unified relationship.”

SETAF-AF holds MEDREXs throughout the African continent on a regular basis. This fiscal year, 8 medical readiness exercises were planned, 7 of which have already been executed.

These exercises join U.S. Army medical units with partner nation military medical providers for 2-week clinics in Africa. The interface provides U.S. Army medical professionals valuable knowledge of procedures and capabilities for care across Africa. The experience enhances the capabilities of Army medicine for contingencies in Africa and around the world. At the same time, the exchange provides partner militaries understanding and capability of U.S. military medical providers.

The program also provides the opportunity for U.S. and African militaries to strengthen partnerships and promote U.S. interests in Africa.

Ford hopes to apply what he learns from the Angolan healthcare providers to his job back home, particularly in situations where resources might be limited. By understanding their methods and resourcefulness, he believes he can improve his effectiveness both as a medic and a police officer.

“My goal is to learn from them, to see what resources they have and how they can improvise,” said Ford.

About SETAF-AF

U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa provides U.S. Africa Command and U.S. Army Europe & Africa a dedicated headquarters to synchronize Army activities in Africa and scalable crisis response options in Africa and Europe.