POHAKULOA TRAINING AREA, Hawaii -- A group of Joint Tactical Air Controllers conducted a Fire Support Coordination Exercise at Pohakuloa Training Area, March 12 and 13, 2015.
“This training is specifically for JTACs so I like to make them the casualty,” Maj. Paul Blair, an air officer with 3rd Marine Regiment said. “It makes them have to think on their feet, and prioritize in the heat of the moment.”
The situation had the group taking enemy mortar fire, which was simulated with flash bangs, when one of the JTACs took a hit and lost an arm and leg, Blair recounts. The second JTAC took his place and suppressed the enemy, conducted a landing zone brief and successfully cleared the area for a casualty evacuation by helicopter, he continued.
If anything like this were to happen then the situation would go by so fast, added Petty Officer 3rd Class KC Lorilla, a hospital corpsman for 1st Bn., 12th Marines.
“Your brain has to catch up to the events happening,” Lorilla said. “You have to just take a deep breath, take in the scenario and move.”
When the area was being bombarded by mortar fire the helicopter couldn’t land until it was stopped. Sgt. Eric Flaherty, a JTAC with 1st Bn., 12th Marines, sprinted up the hill to contact the helicopters and coordinated the strikes on the enemy.
“The JTAC takes the (helicopters) and employs them on the enemy’s position, which is the close air support portion,” Blair said. “The aircrafts attack until it is safe for them to land and evacuate the victim.”
While the JTAC was guiding the helicopters to the enemies the corpsman was triaging the victim and doing what he could in the situation.
“My job is to ensure that the patient is evacuated and is as safe as possible,” Lorilla said. “Stabilize the victim, get them out of the danger zone, then treat the Marine and send them in the (helicopter).”
Lorilla and Cpl. Collin Osgood, a scout observer with 1st Bn., 12th Marines, took the victim up the hill to the landing zone.
“These enlisted guys are good,” Blair said. “They have to have the mental capacity, clear-headed disposition and focus despite the chaos and damage.”