Gunston Hall Sailors Teach First Aid to African Sailors

SEKONDI, Ghana (NNS) -- Sailors from the Nigerian, Ghanaian and Benin navies took part in first aid training March 16–17 aboard the Whidbey Island-class amphibious dock-landing ship USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44).

The training, part of a curriculum for students participating in Africa Partnership Station (APS) West 2010, demonstrated how the U.S. Navy treats patients with serious injuries.

"The training being taught to the students are what every Sailor aboard Gunston Hall receives," said Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman (SW/SS) Tom Guest, from Norfolk, Va., leading chief petty officer for the ship's health services department. "These classes are just an introduction to help the students become familiar with the methods we use."

Five corpsmen from the ship's health services department took turns instructing classes on such topics as fractures, head injuries, abdominal eviscerations and electric shock.

"They're doing well," said Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Guy Leppry, from Smyrna, Ga. "They caught on to the material very quickly and have been correcting themselves as they go along."

Benin navy sailor Houedanou Richard said he enjoyed the training.

"This training is very useful," he said. "We are having fun learning the basics that we can later use if needed."

The training being conducted through APS West is designed to enhance professional development and provide a valuable motivational and instructional experience to increase the awareness of maritime safety and security.

Gunston Hall is on a scheduled deployment in the 6th Fleet Area of Responsibility in support of APS West, an international initiative developed by Naval Forces Europe and Naval Forces Africa that aims to improve maritime safety and security in West and Central Africa.

You can follow Gunston Hall and APS at their respective Facebook pages, www.facebook.com/GunstonHall and www.facebook.com/AfricaPartnershipStation.

For more news from USS Gunston Hall, visit http://www.navy.mil/local/lsd44/.