KFOR Soldiers conduct active shooter, mass casualty training
Story and photos by U.S. Army National Guard Sgt. Jonathan Perdelwitz, KFOR Regional Command East
CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo—Regional Command-East, Kosovo Force Soldiers conducted an active shooter and mass casualty training exercise at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo, on April 17, 2021. It was the first time an exercise of this nature was held at the Army and Air Force Exchange Service store at Camp Bondsteel.
“I worked pretty closely with the AAFES manager,” said 2nd Lt. Allison Vierps, officer in charge of the military police at Camp Bondsteel. “She was absolutely on board for anything we wanted to do. She has worked for AAFES around the world for 35 years and has never seen an active shooter exercise at a PX. She was pretty excited for this.”
The training was a cooperative effort and the culmination of two months of planning between the 566th Medical Company (Area Support) out of Fort Hood, Texas, and the 29th Military Police Company, Maryland Army National Guard. The Turkish Contingent at Camp Bondsteel also provided security for the event.
“The point of the training was to challenge the systems we have in place on Camp Bondsteel to make sure police, evacuation assets, clinic as well as our [medical evacuation team] can all work in the chain we originally planned for,” said Capt. Kimberly Raymond, the infection control nurse at Camp Bondsteel.
The exercise began with the MPs receiving a staged call reporting an active shooter at the store. Soldiers equipped with protective gear hurried to the scene and immediately began clearing the building. After securing the scene, they found and provided first aid to several simulated casualties with a variety of wounds before calling for medical evacuation.
“We tested our ability to provide care in an active shooter situation,” said Vierps. “It’s not something a lot of MPs focus on during this. We wanted to test and see how well our training with casualty care would go.”
After the building was cleared, the medics took over. They reassessed the casualties, ensuring they received the correct care. Using litters, the medics carried the wounded from the store to a casualty collection point outside. They were then loaded into field ambulances and transported to the clinic.
“On the way, everyone worked together to make sure everything was done correctly and made sure all the casualties were safe,” said Spc. Tevin Walker, a combat medic specialist with the 566th MCAS. “The way everyone communicated and worked together was overall good.”
Once they reached the clinic, the patients were given more extensive care and prepared for evacuation to a more advanced facility designed to treat serious injury.
“They communicated well, people stayed calm, and if there were questions about anything, nobody felt intimidated,” said Raymond. “They reached out, asked the questions and were able to take care of the patients, and that is what’s most important.”
