Small surgery team from Carson filled in as big hospitals leave Afghanistan

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http://gazette.com/small-surgery-team-from-carson-filled-in-as-big-hospitals-leave-afghanistan/article/1516896



After being presented with flowers, Major Rachel Stratman is given the royal treatment by being carried by her husband, John Stratman. Major Stratman was returning from a 9-month deployment in Afghanistan with approximately 20 members of the 10th Combat Support Hospital, 1st Medical Brigade.

Small surgery team from Carson filled in as big hospitals leave Afghanistan
By Tom Roeder Published: March 23, 2014 | 12:00 am

While on a nine-month tour in Afghanistan, a small group of Fort Carson soldiers revolutionized how the Army treats wounded troops.

The 29-member 2nd Forward Surgical Team was tied to special forces troops and had to come up with a way to treat casualties as American hospitals and bases closed, putting patients farther away from care. To solve the problem, the team broke into five-soldier detachments to take treatment to the troops.

"They had a 100 percent patient survival rate," said Col. James Andrews, who command the 10th Combat Support Hospital that includes the surgical unit.

In a drive to leave Afghanistan by Dec. 31, U.S. commanders have closed dozens of bases in Afghanistan and sent thousands of troops home. But with the Taliban still active, combat wounds from bullets and bombs remain common, especially in the remote regions where special forces troops work.