SAN GREGORIO, Spain -- Corpsman up! Nine U.S. Marines were injured today when an ordinance blast ripped through a water re-supply point here while they trained during exercise Dynamic Mix '02.
This was the scenario for the men and women of the medical group attached to Brigade Service Support Group-2, the support group for the 2d Marine Expeditionary Brigade during the exercise.
The group's doctors and corpsmen simulated the mass casualty drill to solidify their force readiness should the need for a medical evacuation arise during their stay here.
"We responded to the call promptly to apply field triage to the awaiting patients," said medical officer-in-charge Navy Lt. Mary Graves.
Simulated injuries sustained included severe head trauma, amputated limbs, sucking chest wounds and other injuries related to shrapnel from the explosion.
"The docs and corpsmen that help me in the triage room were very fast and all of them knew their jobs well," said Lance Cpl. Shawn Stickney, a BSSG-2 data communications operator. He played a casualty role during the exercise. "I was really impressed with the medical attention I received. "I didn't know they could do so much out here in a field environment," added the Melbourne, Fla., native.
Many of the corpsmen said the techniques used during the exercise aided their readiness to deal with real-life injuries that could occur in the progressing larger scale of Dynamic Mix '02.
"This will help us to better prepare for any injuries that may occur during the exercise," said Graves.
Maintaining unit integrity and force readiness will definitely aide in the entire Medivac cycle, added Graves.
Moore than 4,000 North Carolina Marines and Sailors are here training under the command of Maj. Gen. John Goodman, 2d MEB commanding general. Dynamic Mix '02 is the largest exercise of the year for Allied Forces' Southern Command. The exercise includes more than 12,000 troops from 15 countries. The NATO-sponsored maneuvers originated in the Spanish port of Tarragona.