3rd ID and Civil Affairs team up to teach combat lifesaver course to Polish soldiers

WARSAW, Poland - During times of war, most people think of infantry Soldiers marching through trenches, helicopters flying the air, and artillery crews firing onto the battlefield. Less often are there thoughts of Soldiers performing medical tasks to keep their fellow Soldiers alive and thriving. However, within the Army, every Soldier can become combat lifesaver certified through a course that teaches the basics of medical care in combat.

Now, Soldiers in the U.S. Army are sharing their medical skills with their allies in Poland. From April 16-19, 2024, the 415th Civil Affairs Battalion teamed up with the 3rd Infantry Division medics to teach CLS training to the 18th Territorial Defense Force Brigade in Warsaw, Poland.

The U.S. Army has already trained hundreds of Polish military service members through various rotations in the past decade to become CLS-qualified. Once the Polish are well-equipped for medical training, the next step is to create a joint learning environment where the U.S. Army medics observe the CLS-qualified Polish soldiers and teach new Polish trainees. The result is that Poland will become a well-oiled machine, producing combat lifesavers and medics for years to come, thanks to its NATO membership.

U.S. Army Capt. Burton Boonma, a U.S. Army Reserve team chief assigned to Alpha Company, 415th CA Bn., worked with the key leaders in the 18th TDF to ensure successful training. As a civilian, Boonma serves as a firefighter/EMT for the Melrose Park Fire Department in Melrose Park, Illinois.

Throughout the course, Boonma worked alongside Polish medic Konrad Lesczyński. Lesczyński currently serves in the 18th TDF Brigade and has over twenty years of experience as a paramedic. Not only did Lesczyński work together with the U.S. Army in every area of instruction throughout the course, he also provided interpretation into Polish whenever a student needed it.

"Even though I've been doing this for a long time, I was still able to learn something from the U.S. Army instructors here," said Lesczyński. "It is awesome to still be able to get new knowledge from our NATO Allies."

The training began on a Tuesday in the classroom, as the instructors provided in-depth details about every aspect of medical training. Afterward, trainees practiced different drag and carrying techniques. Drawing on his experience as a firefighter, Boonma demonstrated effective ways to move a casualty using a low silhouette. During a fire, firefighters must move low to the ground to avoid the smoke rising at the top of the ceiling.

"Using carries that keep you low has an incredible application in combat," Boonma said. "It felt good to bring some of my firefighting experience into the classroom."

The next day, students took a full dive into the contents of the Individual First Aid Kit (IFAK). They also received detailed instructions on every bandage, gauze, wrap, and pen in the pack. The students got to practice the proper way to wrap amputations, open wounds, and broken bones. They ended that day with a walkthrough of the nine-line medevac request and the tactical combat casualty card (TC3). Nine-line medevacs are used to secure military transportation for casualties, specifying the number of Soldiers, type of injuries, and the tactical environment. TC3 cards are used to tell the incoming Army medics what medical issues were noted and what care was provided by the CLS.

Sgt. Alexander Shaltry, a civil affairs specialist assigned to the 415th Civil Affairs Battalion, trained alongside the Polish students during the course to earn his CLS qualification. Alongside the Polish students, he practiced carrying technique, practiced bandage wrapping, and worked on other key areas to hone his ability to take care of fellow Soldiers on the battlefield.

"Getting to work with the Polish soldiers in this class has greatly grown my appreciation for our Polish allies," said Shaltry. "We faced challenges and had to come together to overcome those, and it made me thankful for our partnership."

On the third day of training, each student took a written test to assess their knowledge of everything they had learned. After the test, students spent the rest of the day in a practice scenario that involved carrying a casualty to safety and delivering a nine-line medevac.

"There's something incredibly empowering about putting your knowledge into action and honing skills that can save lives on the battlefield," said Polish Territorial Defence Forces Corporal Katarzyna Kurkiewicz. "Each day brings new challenges, but also the rewarding feeling of becoming more proficient at what we do."

All the training came together on Friday for the culminating exercise, where students were assessed and graded to standard for every medical task. In full combat gear, students were divided into teams of four to six to recover a casualty, provide security, perform immediate action, and then escort the casualty to safety. To make the training as realistic as possible, Lesczyński combined beet juice and pork to simulate exposed muscle tissue. The casualties themselves were even outfitted with fake wounds and blood to create a realistic environment and setting.

"It's important to me that students go through scenarios that match as close with real-world experience as possible," said Lesczyński. "This meat will allow them to feel what it's like to properly wrap a wound and stuff gauze beneath the surface of skin."

"I was so appreciative of Lesczynski's efforts to take this training to the next level," said Boonma. "The meat worked out super well and added so much to this experience that most CLS classes don't get to have."

As the sun set that Friday evening, the Polish TDF gained 17 new combat lifesavers. Potential battlefields across Poland are now in better hands with equipped medics capable of caring for their own in times of need. This achievement underscores their commitment to saving lives and strengthens the solidarity with NATO Allies in the global defense community.

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