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Summer 2010 - STATES - The National Guard

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101st FA Medic Provides Care at Car Accident<br />

By Army 2nd Lt. Jordan A. Breau<br />

1st Battalion, 101st Field Artillery Regiment<br />

KABUL, Afghanistan – Negotiating the busy<br />

streets of Kabul city can be a challenge to the<br />

most experienced of drivers. In a city that lacks<br />

proper driving rules, training and precautions,<br />

vehicle accidents are bound to happen.<br />

One of the police mentoring teams from the 1st<br />

Battalion, 101st Field Artillery Regiment, was on<br />

their way to meet with the local Afghan <strong>National</strong><br />

Police force when they noticed a red Toyota,<br />

packed with passengers, swerving out of control.<br />

After being run off the road by another vehicle,<br />

the Toyota veered sharply to avoid hitting a child<br />

who was walking down the busy street. In the<br />

effort to avoid hitting the child, the vehicle<br />

struck a concrete pillar alongside the roadway.<br />

<strong>The</strong> police mentorship team from the 101st<br />

responded immediately to the accident. <strong>The</strong>y<br />

secured the scene, and Pfc. Gary Reagan, a<br />

medic, ran to the crash with his interpreter.<br />

Reagan surveyed the damaged vehicle for<br />

passenger injuries and identified three of the six<br />

people as injured. He quickly began providing<br />

medical aid to those inside the crumpled vehicle.<br />

<strong>The</strong> driver of the vehicle sustained a broken<br />

wrist, and another passenger sustained a<br />

broken nose and head wounds.<br />

<strong>The</strong> medic applied the skills he acquired in<br />

school and from the hours of training he received<br />

from his medical platoon sergeant, Sgt. 1st Class<br />

Joseph Rebello, to properly assess and treat<br />

the wounds.<br />

Reagan began treating the wounded wrist<br />

immediately, resetting and wrapping it, then he<br />

treated the broken nose. A small crowd of locals<br />

watched attentively as Reagan continued to<br />

provide medical treatment.<br />

“It felt great to use the training and skills I have<br />

learned to help out the Afghan people. I really<br />

felt I had made a difference today,” said Reagan.<br />

“We are here to help make this a more secure<br />

and stable environment. By providing basic aid,<br />

it’s the first step in winning over the people and<br />

gaining their respect.”<br />

<strong>The</strong> small crowd grew into a full spectacle as<br />

Reagan finished treating the injuries.<br />

Through his interpreter, Reagan advised his<br />

patients to immediately go to the nearest<br />

hospital and receive further medical attention.<br />

<strong>The</strong> patients expressed their thanks for receiving<br />

treatment.<br />

Having provided emergency assistance, Reagan<br />

and the other members of the mentorship team<br />

got back into their vehicles and continued their<br />

mission. ✯<br />

12 Minuteman <strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2010</strong><br />

Pfc. Gary Reagan, a medic with the 1st Battalion, 101st Field Artillery Regiment, Massachusetts <strong>National</strong> <strong>Guard</strong>,<br />

renders aid to a local man injured March 24, <strong>2010</strong>, in a car accident here (U.S. Army photo by 1st Lt. Douglas<br />

Richardson).

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