HIJUDAI MANEUVER AREA, OITA PREFECTURE, Japan --
Members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force and Marines and sailors with 3rd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, conducted a bilateral casualty evacuation exercise at the Hijudai Maneuver Area here Feb. 9.
The exercise was part of Artillery Relocation Training 11-4.
Marines with 3rd Bn., 12th Marines, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, participated in the training to provide support for the U.S. Navy corpsmen who organized the mock evacuation and allow the newest corpsmen and Marines to gain experience in executing and conducting casualty evacuation procedures.
It was a good experience for both the Marines and corpsmen, said Petty Officer 1st Class David Long, a corpsman with 3rd Bn., 12th Marines.
Members of the JGSDF Western Aviation Unit also participated in the exercise by providing the air-lift capability for the simulated casualty evacuation from the maneuver area to the Shin-Beppu University Hospital in Beppu City, Oita Prefecture, Japan.
The JGSDF also assisted with the ground evacuation procedure. The air transportation featured a UH-1 Iroquois helicopter while the ground evacuation was conducted using a JGSDF field ambulance.
The Marines used two of their vehicles, one ambulance and one transportation vehicle, said Petty Officer 2nd Class Antonio Jumangit, a corpsman with Hotel Battery, 3rd Bn., 12th Marines.
Two Marines acted as the patients for the exercise with simulated shrapnel wounds, loss of hearing and a loss of limb. This provided the corpsmen with an opportunity to hone their skills in treating injuries encountered on the battlefield.
The corpsmen also rehearsed giving a nine-line brief, which contains pertinent information about the patient and severity of the medical situation. The nine-line brief is communicated back to higher headquarters to provide a situational update on the current evacuation.
The exercise was just one of the many opportunities during Artillery Relocation Training 11-4, which allowed U.S. military members the opportunity to work alongside their Japanese counterparts toward a common goal.