Role 1 Medical in Afghanistan

2014-04-08T09:07:21-04:00

I'd like to hear from people with knowledge of Role 1 medical treatment battalion aidstations down range in Afghanistan or Iraq. I'm curious to know what additional capability they had and how it was employed? What was the justification of having it and how was it procured? I know FSTs are going with Role 1s along side Xray, ultrasound, and some lab capability. Has anyone seen a Vet go into a Role 1 or a environmental science officer? Let me know what you have.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 9 at 2014 3:15 AM

2014-04-09T03:15:09-04:00

I haven't personally seen or heard of a Vet going into a Role 1 but I don't see any reason why they couldn't if there was a need for them to.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 15 at 2014 5:08 PM

2014-06-15T17:08:55-04:00

My excellent NCOs continuously "tactically acquired" medical equipment to improve out ability to deliver care. We found an iStat machine and after a month, cartridges for it. Point of care testing, was a great advantage. We scavenged a 12 lead, 2 heart monitors as well. We ran 2 semi-pro Zoll AEDs forward. Braslow bags were added. We managed to scrounge some cardiac meds. None of this is organic to Role 1 at a BSTB, at least NG set-up. If I was going again, I would have given a kidney to have an ultralight ultrasound and would integrate some wireless telemetry for next time.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 16 at 2014 6:12 AM

2014-06-16T06:12:41-04:00

In the Kabul area our Company (an ASMC, Role II) was split in to many role ones and a role II-. I say II- as 3/4 of the company was all over, and part of the ancillary services was sent to another base out the the area.

As far as additional capabilities, we did have some. we could do some of the rapid labs our self, if we could get the panels to run (getting class VIII was an issue) so for that, yeas we had "some lab".

Xray we had to sen to our role II, Enviro, vet and bio med support were out of another base, which in Kabul happened to be the same as our role II, but they were not co-located.

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Jun 30 at 2014 11:13 AM

2014-06-30T11:13:14-04:00

An FST at a Role 1 is typically a temporary thing to support an operation that the BN may be conducting (or is the main effort and is expected to recieve more casualties). An FST is not self-supporting past 72hrs and a Role 1 Aid Station has no way of sustaining it as it is pretty much a glorified clinic. FSTs typically get paired with a Role 2 medical company, to produce a Role 2+. A medical company DOES have the ability to sustain an FST and with the ancillary services that a med company provides (lab, x-ray and primitive pharm and patient hold capability), you have what is essentially a baby CSH. ESO and Vets are typically maintained out of a Role 2 and only sent forward to Role 1 for specific missions.