UNIT NEWS - Fort Bliss Bugle

UNIT NEWS
UNIT NEWS
FORT BLISS BUGLE • July 16, 2015 • 3A
Commander presents
1st AD awards n 4A
Training is the oil that keeps the
>> engine of our Army running
32nd AAMDC Soldier
beats toughest PT run time n 14A
Department of Army
looks for new pistol n 19A
Photos by Sgt. Adam Hinman / RSSB, 1st AD Public Affairs
Harold Wilson, left, the supply supervisor of the 401st Army Field Support Battalion
– Afghanistan, receives first aid items from Spc. Daniel Correia, right, a medic with
the Resolute Support Sustainment Brigade, “Muleskinners,” 1st Armored Division,
13th Sustainment Brigade (Expeditionary), to be distributed to the Soldiers and Department of the Army Civilians of the battalion in Afghanistan, June 27.
Resolute Support Sustainment Bde.
boosts civilian first aid training
Photos by Sgt. Jessica Littlejohn / 24th Press Camp Headquarters
Col. Peter A. Lehning, left, outgoing commander of the 31st Combat Support Hospital, and Col. George M. Kyle, right, incoming commander of the 31st CSH, stand proudly before the color guard during the unit’s change of command ceremony
on Memorial Field here July 1. Kyle comes to Fort Bliss from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda,
Maryland, and has more 20 years of experience.
31st CSH changes command,
colonels Lehning retire
By Sgt. Jessica Littlejohn
24th Press Camp Headquarters
The Soldiers of 31st Combat Support Hospital said
farewell to their commanding officer and welcomed
a new colonel during a change of command, in conjunction with a retirement ceremony on Memorial
Field here July 1.
Col. Peter A. Lehning relinquished responsibility
of command to Col. George M. Kyle.
Lehning, along with his wife, Col. Lisa A. Lehning,
deputy commander of patient services at William
Beaumont Army Medical Center here, is retiring after more than 25 years of service in the Army. Kyle
comes to the 31st CSH from Walter Reed National
Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.
Col. Allan J. Darden, commander of 1st Medical
Brigade, provided opening remarks and introduced
the outgoing commander of 31st CSH. Lehning said
he is excited for what the future brings and welcomed
Kyle, the incoming commander, to the unit with open
arms.
Kyle brings more than 20 years of experience to the
31st CSH, having completed assignments in Germany
and Maryland and multiple deployments in Iraq.
A joint retirement ceremony for the colonels
Lehning immediately followed the change of command ceremony. Col. Michael S. Heimall, commander of WBAMC, spoke on behalf of the Lehnings’ retirement and shared funny stories about working with
Col. Lisa Lehning.
The playful banter the Lehnings shared during their
speeches was infectious to the audience and showed
the love they have for one another and the Army.
Col. Lisa Lehning choked up twice during her
speech, playfully blaming her tears on allergies. At
the end of her speech, she recited a quote from Nina
Simone’s, “Feeling Good,” and the crowd gave a
standing ovation.
“It’s a new dawn. It’s a new day,” Col. Lisa Lehning
said. “It’s a new life for me, and I’m feeling good.”
Col. Peter A. Lehning, left, outgoing commander of 31st
CSH, passes the unit colors to Col. Allan J. Darden, right,
commander of 1st Medical Brigade, during a change of
command ceremony at Memorial Field here July 1.
Col. Peter A. Lehning and his wife, Col. Lisa A. Lehning,
along with their children, Hank and Zachary, stand between
Col. Allan J. Darden and Col. Michael S. Heimall during a
retirement ceremony for both Lehnings at Memorial Field
here July 1. The Lehnings are retiring from the Army with
more than 25 years of service each.
By Sgt. Adam Hinman
RSSB, 1st AD Public Affairs
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Medics from the Resolute
Support Sustainment Brigade,
“Muleskinners,” 1st Armored Division, ensured members of the 401st
Army Field Support Battalion – Afghanistan were properly trained in
first aid here June 25-27.
The 401st AFSB-A has a large
population of Department of the
Army civilians, who do not receive
the level of training Soldiers do
during pre-deployment training.
The Muleskinners did their best to
remedy this situation and provide
the unit with necessary supplies.
“Regardless of military affiliation, role, title, or position, I believe
everyone is entitled to relevant,
high-quality training on life-saving
interventions,” said Staff Sgt. Angela A. Halling, the brigade’s medical operations noncommissioned
officer in charge.
Halling said she is confident the
team has provided DA civilians
professional, thorough and handson instruction.
The knowledge the civilians obtained could increase individual
rates of survival while deployed
overseas, Halling said.
“Once an artery is severed, the
human body will bleed out within
a matter of minutes,” Halling said.
“Traumatic injuries don’t discriminate (between Soldier and civilian
first aid providers).”
The students saw the relevance of
the class from the start.
“This training is important because it teaches you to save someone’s life. It also teaches you how
to save your own life,” said Jayson
Weatherington, the battalion’s contract management officer.
Class members took advantage
of the opportunity to practice the
lessons.
“(We had to) go through the rehearsal, the practice of applying a
tourniquet should an emergency
Spc. Daniel Correia, a combat medic
with the Resolute Support Sustainment
Brigade, “Muleskinners,” 1st Armored
Division, 13th Sustainment Brigade
(Expeditionary), lets Kevin K. Palmer, a
logistics management specialist with
the 401st Army Field Support Battalion-Afghanistan, apply a tourniquet
in Afghanistan, June 27. Maj. Chris Q.
McKindra, the brigade logistics support
chief with the same battalion, watches
Palmer during a class.
arise,” said Barry L. Tabron, the
battalion’s primary hand receipt
holder. Correct application of the
skills could result in saving a life,
he said.
“I learned a lot, especially attention to detail, and they (the instructors) answered every question
I had. The instructors were very
knowledgeable,” said Maj. Chris
Q. McKindra, the brigade logistics
support chief for the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, currently assigned to assist the 401st AFSB-A.
Battalion officials established the
training as an opportunity to ensure
all the units in the brigade’s footprint were able to get training that
could save a life.
“The civilians were very grateful
for the training. My team and I received praise in emails, in person,
and in the coins we were awarded,”
Halling said. “To know that we
made a difference … that’s a really
good feeling.”