Military Review English Edition May-June 2014 | Page 62

Personnel from the Tarin Kowt Forward Surgical Element delivering donated medical supplies to Tarin Kowt Provincial Hospital. (Maj. Tucker A. Drury)

physicians through embedded interpreters, FSE staff
members taught specific advanced field and hospital
medical skills to the ANA elements in response to
their specific needs. Such training reduced the ANA’s
reliance on coalition medical resources in the field
and decreased the need for coalition combat casualty
care. The ANA medics were highly motivated and
quick learners, and their skill set and comfort level
with treating complex battle trauma expanded greatly
because of the combined training program.
In addition to medical training, TK FSE provided
supervised medical care to the 8th Kandak Commandos. A weekly primary care clinic for commandos
was held at the FSE. The senior commando medic
attended these clinics, learning from FSE primary
care providers and AMTPV program participants
how to manage commonly encountered problems.
The FSE also provided acute and dental care for
commandos in a similar fashion. Over time, the
number of commandos treated at the FSE declined
as the commandos’ medical assets assumed much
of their routine care.

Critical Enablers and Difficulties

Several critical factors influenced TK FSE’s
ability to contribute to the SOTF’s broader mission
by performing medical COIN engagements. The
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most important of these were consistent command
support. TK FSE was fortunate to have SOTF commanders who supported its participation in COIN
activities and who understood the low-cost benefit that embedded medical participation in COIN
operations provides. These commanders provided
the Commander’s Emergency Relief Program
funds necessary for projects such as the AMTPV
program and authorized leeway in the medical rules
of engagement to allow the FSE to assist in the care
of local national patients. The SOTF commanders
were crucial to ensuring security for FSE personnel
durin