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Corpsman, 17 Oct 10: “The Docs” Navy Creates Graphic Novel to Help Corpsman deal with Stress of Combat Deployments
Hard copies can be ordered here.Quote:
Someone up at NHRC (Naval Health Research Center) has stepped out of the traditional box for training and have created a tool that I think will speak to thousands of Doc’s.
They have created a “Graphic Novel” (An adult comic book if you will) to help get the word out about stressors and how to deal with them, with combat deployments.....
A most excellent idea! This isn't the first time that graphic novels have been used to train/acclimate troops and I'm glad to see it is now being applied to medical personnel.
Almost four years ago now, as a Stryker company commander; my unit was involved in an engagement just north of Najaf, Iraq. 'Soldiers of Heaven' a cult for lack of a better word, had made extensive military preparations to bring about the 13th Imam after killing the current Shiite leaders in the holy city several miles away. Through several random actions USSF forces became involved, then my company was launched from FOB Kelso to help after an AH-64 was shot down supporting the SF teams. The engagement lasted all night and the next morning we cleared the cult’s compound. The effects of American firepower are awesome/terrible. Somewhere between 250-300 enemy were killed. We triaged twice that number, including many women and children some who died. In the following weeks/months my infantrymen did very well. The training we put them through prior to deployment was as graphic as we could make it. (although nowhere close to the real thing) However, two of the company medics had to be taken off the line and sent home. Mentally/emotionally they just could not deal with what had happened. In training, they had saved the patient. 7-year-old girls had not died during treatment. Combat Arms soldiers in small units have special relationships with the 'Doc', losing one during a deployment, for any reason, is tough. Small unit leaders are constantly trying to create 'realistic' training for their maneuver forces...medical training has come a long way in ten years. Live tissue labs and other events that once only existed in SOCOM land are used by many units...the same emphasis ought to exits for the medics supporting the small units. If this product assists young medics in thinking about the results of combat, prior to the event, it is a good thing. I'll definitely try to get this as I go back to a BN or BDE.