Kuwait: Army Guard Soldier uses military training, civilian skills to save woman

By Army National Guard Spc. Mathew Schlueter
Minnesota National Guard

CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait (11/30/11) – Convoy Escort Team “Able Ten” from Able Troop, 1st Squadron, 94th Cavalry, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division “Red Bulls” responded to a head on collision of two Iraqi civilian vehicles while on a long haul convoy from Khabari Crossing, Iraq to Camp Adder, Iraq, Oct. 15.

“An Iraqi police officer was waving us down for assistance,” said Army Sgt. Douglas Olsen, truck commander for 1st Squadron, 94th Cavalry. “When we found out there were injuries we quickly called up our medical truck to provide assistance,”

Olsen said he was the first Soldier in the convoy to notice the accident.

The medical truck was then notified by the CET commander to provide aid to the Iraqi civilians.

“I hope the one thing that can be taken from this is that we are here [the Middle East] to help and will go out of our way to help those in need,” said Spc. Arden Morales, a CET combat medic.

Upon arriving, medical truck personnel witnessed one male lying on the side of the road, two women sitting next to each other a few yards away from the accident and three teenagers just a little further away from the women.

“I paused for a moment, but then my training quickly kicked in,” Morales said.

Her training from the Minnesota National Guard as a combat medic was instrumental, but this isn’t the first time Morales has dealt with vehicle accidents. She has worked as an emergency medical technician outside of the military.

Unfortunately, the man that was lying on the side of the road was dead upon arrival. However, she was able to provide care for those seriously wounded in the collision.

“Both women had lacerations to their heads and several broken bones,” she said.

Knowing the women had lost an exceptional amount of blood, Morales was able to provide immediate attention to the more severe of the two women which saved the woman’s life.

Army Staff Sgt. Jason Montana, the 1-94 CAV CET commander from said, “Spec. Morales handled the situation beautifully. She took charge getting the Iraqi police to set-up aid and liter teams and maintained her calm during a stressful situation.”

After Morales rendered aid to all the Iraqi civilians, she assisted the Iraqi Police in loading the injured to transport to the local hospital.

“She went above and beyond to save a woman’s life and provided excellent care to the injured individuals,” he said. “I wish I had more Soldiers just like her.”