JBSA-FORT SAM HOUSTON –
One hundred and eight military medical personnel representing units from throughout Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, the Army National Guard, Fort Sill, Okla., and Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., gathered at JBSA-Camp Bullis from May 18 to 23 to prepare and compete for the coveted Expert Field Medical Badge.
Each day the competition went on, the numbers in competitors dwindled. In the end, just 17 out of the 108 earned the badge.
"The EFMB is a measure of competence for people in the medical field and is very difficult to attain," said Capt. Rick Levada, officer-in-charge of the medic lane. "It is something that separates you from your peers. It is similar to the Expert Infantry Badge, a symbol of pride to wear."
The competition included a written test, day and night land navigation, a 12-mile ruck march and three combat tactical lanes where each candidate had to complete 15 to 17 tasks in each lane.
In the medic lane, through the sounds of gunfire and smoke, candidates reacted to screams for help, testing their knowledge of medical skills such as triaging casualties, treating open wound injuries and penetrating chest wounds, initiating an intravenous infusion and performing needle chest decompression.
Soldiers also has to control bleeding using dressings, treat patients for shock, treat eye injuries and bone fractures, as well as evacuate and load casualties onto a field litter ambulance.
The warrior skills testing included assembling an M16 rifle, communication skills, reacting to direct fire while maneuvering lanes with high walls and barbed wire, removing and treating an injured casualty from a vehicle to prepare for evacuation, maneuvering a litter obstacle course, calling for medical evacuation and loading casualties onto a Stryker ambulance.
In a chemical contamination, scenario candidates donned a protective mask with full mission oriented protective posture gear, performed self-aid for mild nerve agent poisoning and used decontaminating kits on themselves.
Spc. Andrew Whittier, with the 418th Medical Logistics Company at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, finished the 12-mile ruck march first in approximately 2 hours and 41 minutes. Whittier said the competition was really challenging and every day was something new.
"The road march was tough but everyone did a good job," Whittier said. "I didn't expect to be the first."
"It was a grueling 10 days. It definitely tests your mind, body and soul," said 2nd Lt. Wesley Reid from the 264th Medical Battalion at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston. "I didn't have much time to prepare, but I've been a professional and expert being in the Army, and dealing with most of my warrior tasks. Definitely the medic lane was the hardest, but I made it - first time in, first time a go."