ANP, Coalition medics complete Phase I CLS Program

HERAT PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Coalition Medics from the Regional Command West Joint Medical

Operations (JMOC) guided Afghanistan National Police to complete Phase I of a Combat Life Saver (CLS) course here, April 11. Twenty-two ANP leaders from the regional headquarters in Herat learned advanced life-saving techniques which will ultimately enable them to train future ANP CLS students and provide battlefield emergency care in the future.

The three-phase program started with the instructors’ course and will soon resume with ANP soldiers in the lead, working alongside Coalition medics to instruct additional students as part of Phase II and sustain the program during the Phase III instruction.

Sgt. Patrick Mitchem and Staff Sgt. Donald Dickson assigned to the 400-5th United States Army Hospital, Houston, Texas are attached to the JMOC and have been responsible for initial training efforts of the CLS curriculum to the ANP. “It’s important for the leadership to understand the importance of the CLS program,” said Sergeant Mitchem. “[The Course] can mean life or death for their men.”

“They knew a lot before we even taught the course, so we really just needed to re-emphasize their training and showed some better techniques,” Sergeant Dickson added. “They are very accommodating and receptive to learning new material. I enjoyed watching the interaction of the class.”

Team Chief for the ANP Medical Team is Cmdr. Timothy Foster. He is the senior advisor to the ANP medical staff. The commander assisted with the ANP medical staff in the development of the medical training program.

“Sergeant Mitchem and Sergeant Dickson did a great job, the staff and students loved them,” said the commander. “They weren’t even done with the class yet, and the leadership was asking when they were coming back; I’m very pleased with the professionalism shown by our Non-Commissioned Officers.”

The JMOC, comprised of personnel from the U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force are responsible for advising the proper supplies based on the needs of the province and the medical infrastructure for all Afghanistan National Security Forces throughout RC-West.