DVIDS – News – 31st MDG Conducts Joint Medical Training with Bavarian Army Garrison Instructors

AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy – The 31st Medical Group hosted a team of two instructors from U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria, Germany for joint training in medical treatment processes at Aviano AB, Aug. 25.
Aviano AB was one of many stops for the team as it traveled outside of Germany for the first time to provide advanced medical training for service members.
“We were thrilled because anytime you can do joint training, it’s great,” said Sgt. 1st Class Bryan Rowland, U.S. Army Medical Department Bavaria NCOIC Education and Training Activity. “Our scope of practice and the way we operate are a little different, but we work together so much when we’re deployed, so having some familiarity is great. »
Despite the differences between their branches, US Army and US Air Force doctors have found common ground by being in the same professional field and working on the same training.
“Whether in training or downhill, I love working with the [U.S.] Air Force,” Rowland said. “It’s a great experience. I also like to teach and I always tell my soldiers that I will train anyone who shows up.
The skills taught by Rowland and her teammate, Dr. Jennifer Wissemann, Education Manager for the US Army Medical Department in Bavaria, are used primarily when deployed in a combat environment. For this reason, physicians are often unable to use and practice these skills in a clinical setting.
“Being an Airman with limited experience is a big challenge,” Judge Nerad said of Airman 1st Class, Aerospace Medical Technician from the 31st Health Care Operations Squadron. “Receiving different types of training once a month gives us the hands-on experience we need as well as a great foundation when these situations arise.”
While the training focused on trauma and pre-hospital care, it also covered invasive and hospital-based treatment methods. One such operation they simulated was the insertion of chest tubes.
“For chest tubes, we make an incision between the fourth and fifth ribs, to make sure we can pass between them,” Nerad said. “We try to remove any air or blood trapped between the lungs and the chest wall.”
The joint training not only familiarizes the different branches with each other and their different operating procedures, but also opens the participants to new ideas and points of view.
“Sometimes when you’re just working with the military or with the air force, you can think the same way,” Rowland said. “These common relationships help us look at problems from different angles and solve them in different ways.”
Whatever branch he works with, Rowland’s favorite part of his job is the opportunity to educate and train medical professionals for the US military.
“Training soldiers and airmen is the most rewarding for me,” Rowland said. “Everyone has experiences they can share and it’s a lot of fun. I am very lucky to have this opportunity.