MEDFLAG 10: Mass casualty exercise
Exercise
Image by US Army Africa
A Soldier of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo quick reaction force (UMIR) assesses a patient during a simulated mass casualty bus crash exercise Sept. 16 in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

U.S. Army photo by Sgt. James D. Sims

Congolese and American medical specialists participating in MEDFLAG 10 conducted a mass casualty exercise Sept. 16 as the culminating training event of the 10-day exercise.

The exercise followed four days of humanitarian assistance to Kinshasa residents by the combined forces.

Thursday’s scenario centered on a simulated bus crash resulting in approximately 50 casualties, and highlighted Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s quick reaction force (FARDC UMIR) demonstrating their techniques and skills as first responders to a catastrophe.

“My role was to check the level of bleeding and monitor the patient’s blood pressure once they arrived,” said Ndaya Lilian, a female UMIR laboratory technician. “Outside of the military I am a specialist in child delivery, and the experience and knowledge I gained over the last few weeks will help me out tremendously in the future.”

The UMIR unit demonstrated its expertise in three areas of response: picking up of casualties, triage at the advanced medical point, and a mobile surgery hospital. The hospital included three main services: emergencies, surgery room combined with intensive care and hospitalization.

As the exercise progressed, 1st Lt. Coty Sicble, a medical administrator with the North Dakota National Guard’s 814th Army Support Medical Company based in Bismarck, gave the audience a step-by-step narration of the action taking place. Sicble described the intense preparation and execution the UMIR members demonstrated during the exercise.

After the mass casualty exercise, participants conducted a closing ceremony at the Command and Staff College in Kinshasa, where the MEDFLAG 10 exercise first began Sept. 6.

“MEDFLAG 10 has taken place and was a moment of an intense scientific, technical, social and psychological communion in perfect harmony between the American forces and FARDC respective health services,” said FARDC Surgeon General Col. Gilbert Kabanda, during the closing ceremony, Sept. 17.

As part of MEDFLAG 10, U.S. and Congolese troops worked closely together to increase the combined readiness of their medical forces to respond to humanitarian emergencies. MEDFLAG is a key program in United States efforts to partner with the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to further the development of a professional military that is accountable to civilian authority, and provides stability and security to the people.

“We can confirm, without contradiction, that MEDFLAG 10 has achieved all its objectives assigned by both military hierarchies, American and Congolese,” said Kabanda.

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Many fitness regimens, especially those for beginners, incorporate aerobic exercise as a key component. But, would the addition of anaerobic exercise be beneficial? To answer this, you must understand the difference between aerobic and anaerobic exercise as well as the benefits to be gained from each. The contrast is really low intensity vs high intensity.  Generally people think of aerobic training as low intensity cardio performed in the “fat burning zone.”  There is less familiarity with anaerobic exercise.  Anaerobic exercise also includes a high intensity portion, such as strength training or an HIIT program.

The literal meaning of aerobic is “with oxygen.” Muscles need oxygen to remain active over an extended stretch of time. Muscles utilize this oxygen in burning fat.  Aerobic exercises include activities that are long duration and low to moderate intensity, including jogging, swimming, cycling, or skiing.

Just as aerobic means “with oxygen,” anaerobic means “without oxygen.”  While you obviously need oxygen to perform anaerobic exercise, your muscles do not receive enough oxygen to generate energy to maintain a high intensity exercise.  The muscles, rather, use glycogen, derived from carbohydrates.  Activities that are short and intense are considered anaerobic exercises, including sprinting and weight training.

There are a number of health benefits to aerobic exercise. A daily 30 minute routine of aerobic activity can greatly increase your heart and lung functions as well as your blood flow, all of which could contribute to a longer life.  Here are some other benefits:

1. Weight Reduction
2. Increasing endurance
3. Improved immune system
4. Lower risk from such diseases as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke and other heart problems and even certain types of cancer
5. Improving circulation and the cardiovascular system
6. Increasing beneficial cholesterol while decreasing harmful cholesterol.

There are many benefits to be gained from anaerobic exercise as well.  Anaerobic exercise makes your muscles stronger and helps decrease body fat.  A strength-training regimen will help build muscle mass, decrease body fat, increase bone density, and give you much of the same sorts of general health benefits you get from aerobic activity. A HIIT routine, which incorporates brief bursts of activity with rest periods, is one other typical type of anaerobic exercise. Such quick bursts of high activity followed by recovery periods have been shown to increase the metabolism as well as burning more calories than the low intensity variety.  There’s also the release of HGH, a hormone that promotes fat loss and muscle gain.  You’ll also enjoy an improved aerobic capacity and much better cardiovascular system.

Aerobic and anaerobic exercises both have their own special benefits that will help you lead a healthier life. To gain the maximum benefit, you should have both as a part of your daily exercise routine. If you are a beginner, however, you should start with aerobic exercise and work your way to an anaerobic program.  To perform high intensity anaerobic training, you must have a good aerobic base built up.   There is debate amongst advanced exercises whether they should perform aerobic vs anaerobic exercise.   Aerobic exercise is almost too easy for such people and does not necessary provide a workout that is as beneficial, especially given the fat burning effects of anaerobic exercise.   Aerobic exercise should still be included though as there are important health benefits to lower intensity exercises.  Plus, you can burn out or over-train if you overdo anaerobic activities.

Next time you choose between aerobic vs anaerobic exercise, remember that the difference is really low intensity vs high intensity.  Anaerobic exercise is high intensity, brief duration while aerobic is low intensity of longer duration.  Aerobic exercises like walking or jogging offer numerous health and cardiovascular benefits while anaerobic exercises such as a strength training routine or HIIT routine generally allow for more efficient fat burning and muscle building.

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