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Controlled chaos on JBLM

Reserve units train at JBLM

SSgt. Charles Raquipiso and Spc. Stevie Heitzman administer medical aid to the other during the 7451st’s annual mass casualty training exercise. Photo credit: J.M. Simpson

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This past Sunday the country marked with remembrances the 15th anniversary of the attack on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and the sacrifice of Flight 93.

The events of that day also led some to want to serve in whatever capacity.

On Sept. 11, 2002, Charles Raquipiso enlisted in the Army, serving two tours in Iraq with the 101st Airborne.

"This day has special meaning to me," he said as he paused by the battered fuselage of a C-130 grounded on the outskirts of Leschi City on Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

"I am here today to pass on some of the knowledge I know to these younger soldiers."

Controlled chaos predominated as soldiers assigned to the newly reflagged 7451st Medical Backfill Battalion worked their way through mass casualty exercise.

The battalion is an Army Reserve unit that is located at JBLM.

"This is our annual situational training exercise, or STX," explained Sgt. Alan Roski, the lead planner of the event.

He explained that the day's training would involve 180 soldiers - to include administration personnel, doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians and veterinarians, to name a few - would be involved in the event.

The training began with a radio message.

Taliban forces in Afghanistan had shot down a C-130.  

A QRF, or quick reaction force, headed toward the downed aircraft.  

They found over 30 casualties scattered in and around the plane.  Some were dead; some were seriously injured; some were able to move.

Medics quickly arrived and began to triage and treat the wounded personnel.

"We have to be ready to deploy anywhere and anytime - to a active-duty hospital to a combat support hospital," commented Col. James Robertson, the battalion commander.

As the medics concentrated their efforts, Taliban forces struck.

Simulated fire became constant; the medics had to fall back, use the aircraft's fuselage as cover, return fire, and retrieve newly wounded soldiers.

"This is designed to tax them to the max," commented Roski.  

"Once they finish with the triage and evacuate them to the troop medical clinic, the docs and nurses will have their hands full."

While Spc. Michael Moikeha supervised and controlled the medical efforts and Raquipiso coordinated the repelling of the Taliban forces, Sgt. Quincy Stokes and Maj. Tom Williams completed a 9-line evacuation call.

"It is good for us to work with the active-duty," commented Patterson.

In point of fact, Sgt. Michael Saenz had coordinated with 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, to provide a Stryker Medical Evacuation Vehicle, or MEV.

"It's good working with the reservists and familiarizing them with what we do," said Sgt. John Loera, as Spc. Hailey Vaughn and Spc. Seungwan Ha helped load patients.

As litter after litter were loaded onto the Strykers and two Humvees, Raquipiso took a knee by the nose of the aircraft's fuselage.

"This is good training for us all," he said, as he scanned the horizon for attackers.
"And it's good to remember what happened to us fifteen years ago and to be prepared."

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