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Exercise prepares Airmen for bloody Afghan marketplace attack

  • Published
  • By Capt. David Faggard
  • 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan --  A deadly insurgent rocket attack on a civilian marketplace in Afghanistan's Kapisa Province resulted in wounded Afghans being medically evacuated to nearby hospitals, including the Craig Joint Theater Hospital here that took in 13 civilians, many who appeared to be elderly men and young children, Nov. 16.

Underneath the whipping Blackhawk rotors, Airmen and Soldiers methodically carried litter-after-litter to awaiting medical personnel who fortunately were ready for this mass casualty event after just finishing an exercise with a similar scenario just days prior, according to Capt. James McDaniel, the hospital medical readiness officer.

"All the processes between the exercise and the [Tagab] marketplace attack were the same," said Captain McDaniel, a Brooking, Ore. native. "The events were similar scenarios with terrible traumas. The exercise was designed to stretch the capabilities of the Airmen and the hospital and fortunately the exercise training paid off as we brought in the wounded from the marketplace."

The exercise scenario focused on many Airmen who were injured in a rocket attack and was designed to "flood the hospital with victims all at once in order for doctors to make decisions fast," said the captain who is deployed from Dover Air Force Base, Del. "We found creative ways to do our work, from medical assistance, to finding bed space."

Airmen and Soldiers worked in unison with hand-signals and shouts as the marketplace wounded were ferried from the medical helicopters to the hospital's operating rooms.

"Who's in charge?" a soldier shouted over the loud Blackhawk's rotors. "We need two gurneys there--and two there," he said pointing to two different UH-60 helicopters as Airmen in ABU-patterned scrubs ran to care for the wounded in the helicopters. As soon as the helicopters were unloaded they immediately took off, covering the awaiting medical staff with a fine Afghan dust from the rotor wash, back on their way to the Tagab Valley.

According to Coalition officials in Kabul, "initial reports indicate four Afghans have been killed [in the marketplace] and more than 40 were injured in the attack. Insurgents continue to harm the Afghan people with their actions. They are doing everything they can to stop the incredible progress the Government of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and international forces have achieved in working together," said Capt. Jane Campbell, a spokesperson with the International Security Assistance Force Joint Command.

No Coalition servicemembers were injured in this attack.