Posted on Mar 31, 2015
SFC Mark Merino
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29 Palms, NTC, JRTC, basic or boot. Our beloved OC's (observer/controllers) handed everyone their casualty cards in that sealed brown envelope in case our MILES gear went off. Many a prayer was said for receiving the lottery ticket: RTD (return to duty). Sometimes, things don't go the way we had hoped. Do you have any "medevac" horror stories to share?
Edited 9 y ago
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SFC Mark Merino
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My worst experience was in 1990 in Hohensfels. I was gone about 3 or 4 full days in the dead of winter. I never huddled up next to so many perfect strangers in my life. They had real world cold weather casualties as well. I'll never forget one poor guy that was screaming in pain when his frozen foot started to thaw out. I was a no TIS/TIG snot nosed grunt and learned about staying warm during that one winter. Those painful lessons were hard learned and have been shared with hundreds of troops over a 20 year period. I bet that poor guy lost his foot.
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SFC Mark Merino
SFC Mark Merino
9 y
Small world, I was Hero of Hohenfels #106 in 1992. Do they still have all the entries of the awardees in the.......snack bar? It's been a loooong time since then.
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SPC Dd Fain
SPC Dd Fain
7 y
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MSG Tom Earley - I was Hero of Hohenfels in '89 while stationed with the 3/11th ACR. My medal is also #106 Sgt Merino.
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
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SFC Mark Merino Sweet! Yea Operation Omega Lightning (JRTC-94-6) April 1994 (actually was hero of the battlefield). I had a KIA, and got tagged by the OC, The OC gave me a RTD because I escaped and evaded for 12 hours. He could find my Stinger Team and said it was high speed. So I never died !! Hoohaaaa.
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SFC Mark Merino
SFC Mark Merino
9 y
I'd expect nothing less from you SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL ! High Speed; Lowest of Drag!
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SFC Mark Merino
SFC Mark Merino
9 y
Sweet.
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SFC Collin McMillion
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Tet '68
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SFC Mark Merino
SFC Mark Merino
9 y
Respect!
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SFC Collin McMillion
SFC Collin McMillion
9 y
Need to clarify, lost someone very close to me in 68, so very shortly after I went with what I can only refer to as "misplaced revenge". I found out quickly it was not a schoolyard or backyard fight, but a tough, dangerous, sickening place to be where every minute of every day was a matter of survival, not a place to play hero and avenge the loss of a loved one. All I thought I knew and all I had been taught still was not nearly enough to prepare me for reality. My medical training didn't scratch the surface of what I had to do. All the simulations we practiced and alerts we did were not even close to the first firefight and the aftermath. My 39 months there, in the endgame meant nothing. I commented on the injury and evacuation card only because I remember them all to we'll and know that troops don't take them nearly as seriously as they should. Of all the things I have done, saving a single life will still be at the top of my list of lifetime accomplishments of which I'm proud.
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SFC Collin McMillion
SFC Collin McMillion
9 y
Yea, you might have found it to be a bit interesting.......lol
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