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Schadow
Vice Admiral
Joined: 30 Sep 2004
Posts: 936
Location: Huntsville, Alabama
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 Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2005 3:41 pm Post subject: The conflicted life of an Army medic |
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The story of Army medic Joe Buhain, serving in Iraq:
| Quote: | What do you do if you are an Army medic and you are asked to provide medical care to an Iraqi terrorist who has just killed or maimed some of your buddies? Staff Sgt. Joe Buhain of Rochester knows the answer.
Buhain describes the aftermath of a typical fire fight: "They'd bring in the severely wounded, both coalition troops and insurgents, and we'd evaluate each one. We'd look at the wound, not the uniform, and set priorities. Generally, head injuries went straight to get CT scans, loss-of-limbs went straight to the operating room. Our guys and the insurgents all got the same drugs, MRIs, X-rays, the same time scheduled for surgery."
Occasionally, says Buhain, for reasons of medical necessity, a wounded insurgent might occupy a bed next to the U.S. soldier he had tried to kill.
"It broke my heart when I saw an American soldier come in badly wounded," he says. "At first, I asked, 'Why do we have to do this, treat people who try to kill us this way?' But the chaplain and the combat stress team helped. I came to see that, at a certain level, the insurgents were like us. They are human beings. We medical personnel had to learn to control our emotions, in order to give them the best care we could."
U.S. soldiers took a similar attitude, Buhain adds. "The call would go out to give blood, and our guys would line up without knowing whether one of our soldiers or a terrorist would get it," he says. |
Noted at the end of the article: "As much as anything, this is why we are going to win the war against Islamic fanaticism."
http://powerlineblog.com/archives/012607.php
Schadow
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Capt, 8th U.S. Army, Korea '53 - '54 |
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docford
Lt.Jg.
Joined: 11 Aug 2004
Posts: 149
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| Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2005 8:46 pm Post subject: |
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I understand his frustration. The way I always tried to analyze is - this guy is now a prisoner, (note that I did not say Prisoner of War) and a potential source of good information that could save lives in the future. Triage him just like any other patient, treat him just like any other patient, and it is more likely that you will get the intel you are looking for.
On a side note - it really bugs me that our military buys into the left-wing characterization of these terrorists as "insurgents." They are not insurgents. They are not representing a legitimate opposition party, fighting against the established government for purposes of political change. They are terrorists representing no political or governmental entity, fighting US interests, for the purposes of decreasing US influence in the world, destroying our way of life, and promoting anarchy wherever possible.
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Doc Ford
HMC (SW) USN |
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Schadow
Vice Admiral
Joined: 30 Sep 2004
Posts: 936
Location: Huntsville, Alabama
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| Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2005 9:12 pm Post subject: |
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| docford wrote: | | They are terrorists representing no political or governmental entity, fighting US interests, for the purposes of decreasing US influence in the world, destroying our way of life, and promoting anarchy wherever possible. |
Well said, Doc. I might add that the goal of their "leadership" is to make us all dead.
Schadow
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Capt, 8th U.S. Army, Korea '53 - '54 |
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3rd gen Navy
Lieutenant
Joined: 03 Sep 2004
Posts: 227
Location: Gainesville, Fl.
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| Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2005 4:25 am Post subject: |
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Tough Call Chief...
Although I was an "O", as an EMT, I stood some watches in our small Naval Hospital in my off-duty time...
In civland, we get all types in the ER... and we take all comers...choir girls and crack wh*res....
I see them first and foremost as patients and people, and try not pass judgement...but I've never been truly tried...I've had some real "winners", but never any cop-killers...
I am currently in nursing school and have very seriously considered re-upping as an Army nurse to get "over there"...
I understand the "Die Motherf*cker, Die" side of the argument, but you and the Army Medic make the higher ground real clear....the lessons are there, in uniform and out.... thanks to both of you and the original poster, Schadow...
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Warm Regards,
Sean G. Smith,
RN, BSN, EMT-B, U.S. Navy, 1994 - 2003.
BS Biology, Business Administration, Nursing
The Deal with Life: Make decisions based on what you might gain, not on what you may lose.
!!!!!! LET THE WILD RUMPUS BEGIN !!!!!! |
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