GULF OF OMAN (Nov. 19, 2021) – While underway in the Gulf of Oman conducting operations, the medical team aboard the amphibious dock landing ship USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52 conducted sophisticated tactical combat casualty care training.

The team used volunteers as simulated casualties and practiced the procedure for a blood transfusion while a variety of tools such as gauze, IV’s, catheters, blood kits and tourniquets for maximum realism.

“The training we did today was called Valkyrie blood transfusion training,” said Hospital Corpsman Christopher Maidman, a Navy corpsman attached to the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU). “It’s an emergency blood transfusion technique we’d use in the field. We’re trying to increase the survivability rate of our casualties by using whole blood instead of clear fluids like saline.”

By using whole blood, casualties’ blood could start reproducing and clotting the wound faster.

This procedure was designed for casualties that may need to wait longer than anticipated. By conducting a rapid transfusion, the patient can stay alive for a longer period of time in the field.

“I wanted to have a better understanding of medicine in the trauma setting,” said Marine Corps Sgt. Daniel Halley, a machine gunner, assigned to 1/1 Weapons, 11th MEU who participated in the training. “I attended the training because firstly, it provides me knowledge on how I can take better care of my guys, and secondly, I am able to understand the role of my corpsman and how I can better support them.”

During the training, the volunteer had their blood drawn which equated to half a liter.A separate evaluator told the participants what the simulated injuries were on the volunteer.

As the participants prepared the blood bag, they also checked and treated other injuries such as amputations, lacerations and fractures.

After the more serious injuries had been treated, the participants inserted a new catheter into a volunteer and re-injected their blood back into them performing the transfusion.

“The biggest thing that I would want to tell people who go through this training is to truly take it to heart and train like you fight,” said Maidman. “Put your all into it because this will truly be a lifesaving action having these techniques and skills. Training such as this is the key to bringing everybody home.”

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