Saturday, June 25, began intensely. The incidents prepared during certification and designed to reflect reality were intended to make the situation in which the soldiers had to operate as realistic as possible. The subunits prepared a defensive area and, while on patrol, had to respond to the opposing force during an ambush organized by it. A logistics convoy was conducted and drove over an improvised explosive device (IED); two soldiers were wounded and evacuated by air using the MEDEVAC procedure. At the same time, chemical troops secured an improvised leak of toxic industrial substances and removed its effects. The civil-military cooperation (CIMIC) team also had its moment, establishing cooperation with local security forces.
Sunday, June 26, included, among other things, conducting patrol operations. The soldiers had to cope with evacuating the local population from the area of future combat operations. As a result of an enemy air strike, a mass-casualty incident occurred (MASCAL – short for massive casualities), and procedures appropriate to the situation were activated. The troops were contaminated and decontaminated. The convoys underway had to face challenges such as countering improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and evacuation using the MEDEVAC procedure.
The coming week will bring further training episodes during Puma-16. The tasks will not be easy, but the soldiers participating in the certification know that Howard E. Wasdin was right: “The more sweat in training, the less blood in battle.”
The joint operation of the forces assigned to carry out tasks במסגרת the NATO Response Force will end on Wednesday, June 29, 2016.
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