Pathfinder attends first U.S. and Serbia medical training event

Story by Senior Airman Jason Cochran

501st Combat Support Wing

Airmen are always pursuing ways to become more proficient in their field.

A perfect example is a Pathfinder becoming the first U.S. military member to attend a medical training event in Serbia.

“The purpose of the course was to train personnel in the field of emergency training in peacekeeping operations and in the provision of advanced first aid measures while building relations with other allied forces,” said Tech. Sgt. Sara Bartlett, 422d Medical Squadron Family Health Clinic Noncommissioned Officer in charge.

This year there were a total of 5 other countries that attended which were Bosnia, Montenegro, Greece, Azerbaijan, and the United States of America. The Republic of Serbia hosts an international course once a year and invited U.S. service members for the first time

“The course was a combination of Emergency Medical Technician & Tactical Combat Casualty Care, with a focus on high velocity injuries like blast injuries, motor vehicle injuries, and falls. We also covered evacuation and critical care of combat trauma patients,” said Bartlett. “Each morning, we focused on classroom lectures, while the afternoons were dedicated to skills practice. By the end of the course, we engaged in exercise scenarios to demonstrate and put our knowledge to the test. The course reinforced a lot of the training taught to us and we shared practices from each country.”

This was not the first time that NATO countries have been invited. Greece, Turkey, and Montenegro have attended the course along with many other non-NATO countries, said Bartlett. Serbia also partners with Norway for all medical training instruction.

“I would like to think that by including the U.S., we can build stronger international relations with other countries and we can share our practices,” said Bartlett. “As medical, we are here to save lives. No matter who the patient is, we see a human life worth saving and building these relations are important to building global medical resilience and readiness. As a medic you don’t get to choose your patient whether it be an “easy” patient or a heavy patient. I still must treat a patient no matter the injury or figure out how to move that patient.”

The variety of backgrounds of the attendees provided U.S. personnel with a different perspective on various aspects of providing care.

“The most valuable takeaway from this event, beyond the incredible friendships I formed, is the newfound appreciation and understanding I gained of how other countries approach and handle medical care,” said Bartlett. “I learned a lot about improvising in the field whenever a medical emergency occurs, especially when faced with limited supplies. The medical supplies and equipment that the U.S. military medics use are often unavailable to many countries due to their high cost.”

The month-long course provided the attendees with heightened skills, new connections and novel approaches to providing care.

“The instructors we had during our course were probably the most passionate and proud medics I have ever met,” said Bartlett. “You could tell how invested they were in each of us thinking outside of the box. It’s incredible to see how, despite not having all the same medical supplies we do, they make the most of what they have, forcing you to think critically about your own resources and how to use them to your advantage.”

There were three U.S. Air Force personnel in attendance and one U.S. Army member.