For US troops, the training is nothing new: Applying tourniquets, clearing someone’s airway, recognizing signs of traumatic brain injuries.
But to the Ukrainian troops receiving it, the training is literally a matter of life or death on the battlefield in the war against Russia.
US troops have been providing critical medical instruction and combat casualty care to Ukrainians at Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany for almost a year, in between other significant training on weapon systems. And while it may not be as high profile as that on tanks, Patriot missile systems, or combined arms tactics, it could arguably have an even more immediate impact on the battlefield.
“Just knowing and keeping in the back of our minds that everything we were doing and saying would have that direct impact on their ability to save lives, and to save each other, and to prolong their lives during their fight for their country – it definitely is going to I think stick with us for the rest of our careers,” Sgt. Alexis Ballard, a combat medic, who helped start the medical training program in Germany, told CNN.
Ballard and Capt. Christina Whitler, the field artillery squadron physician assistant, were among the medics on-site last May as Ukrainians were training on M777 Howitzers. It’s typical for medics to be present at a range during training, and hoping to be as useful as possible, Whitler told CNN she spoke with a Ukrainian leader on the ground to see what else they might need.
The answer was clear: More medical training.
In many cases, the soldiers making up Ukraine’s military are everyday citizens with no military or medical background. 1st Lt. Kristjana McCarthy, a medical operations officer with the New York National Guard who is currently conducting the training in Germany, told CNN that they have…
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