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Military Trains For Natural Disaster Relief

By Leland Kim

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS (KHNL) - When people think about the military, it's usually in the context of the war on terror, but humanitarian aid is also a major part of their collective mission.

Medics rush an injured victim to safety. It's only a simulation, but these medics train to expect anything.

"Like an earthquake, a tsunami, mudslides, things like that," said United States Marine Corps First Lieutenant Randy Nickel. "To be able to rapidly insert, usually via air, to treat a mass casualty area."

Nickel is the mass casualty team commander and heads this training exercise.

"In this scenario that we gave the Marines, there was a 6.0 earthquake and the country that we used was Belovia," he said.

A fictitious country with real-life consequences.

"The patients are not real, but we have to understand what kind of situation, what kind of injuries we're dealing with," said United States Navy Petty Officer Alexis Rios.

That can range from serious injuries to dead bodies. So this simulation is a glimpse into how far the military will go for humanitarian aid.

"If we need to bring in heavy equipment to help clear roads, move debris, we will do that," said Nickel.

In this collaborative military effort, medics say it's all about service.

"Giving them something little as helping them out by giving them medical attention and such forth, it leaves a good feeling in you when you can help people out," said Leanna Padilla, a United States Navy medic.

When the 6.7 magnitude earthquake hit Hawaii in October, the military was on stand by, just in case.