Inspire, Winter 2006

Surgical Company Saves Lives Cmdr. Richard P. Sharpe '86 by Cpl. James B. Hoke; posted November 1, 2006 D uring the midst ofwartime,most people are more concerned with the chaos ofthe bombs and guns in the conflicts that rage rather than with the scalpel or suture that reassemble what the former tears apart. For the sailors and Marines with Charlie Surgical Company at Al Asad,Iraq,the latter is their only concern, as it is theirjob to resuscitate the men and women who have met with ill fortune on the battlefield. "Our main mission here at Al Asad Surgical is to provide level-two care for all patients who are brought - to us,"said Navy Cmdr.Richard P. Sharpe,Chiefof Professional Services officer-in-charge,Charlie Surgical Company,Combat Logistics Regiment 15, 1st Marine Logistics Group(Forward)."Level-two care involves any seriously injured or ill patient and their surgical management,stabilization and(medical evacuation)." "Our routinejob is to save people's lives,"the 42-year- old native ofChesapeake,Va.,added."Every week we have several people who,if it wasn't for our efforts of stabilizing and operating on them,would probably have died without our level ofcare." The present group ofsailors and Marines with the company arrived in early August and has since been loaded down with the cold,hard truth oftheir job. "Abouttwo or three times per week,we will have numerous very sick or injured patients arrive at once," said Sharpe,a graduate ofCedarville University."Since it occurs so frequently,it's actually a routine for us now, but it still presents a situation that is very hectic. It necessitates that everyone not only remains organized, but stays focused and does their job,as well. "It's always,in those instances,a team effort that makes it a success,"added Sharpe,who is also a graduate ofthe Uniformed Services University ofthe Health Sciences, School ofMedicine in Bethesda,Md."There can never be just one nurse,one corpsman or one physician doing their job. It has to be the entire team doing their job right the first time in order to save someone's life." 22 Winter 2006 at Military.com Although the entire hospital is pushed into overdrive when just one patient arrives at its backdoor,there are the extreme occasions where the men and women working behind the curtains are held in the rush ofadrenaline for hours on end. "We had 24 patients show up in one hour(in early October),"said Navy Lt. Cmdr.Gerard J. Woelkers, executive officer, Charlie Surgical Company."We were able to take care ofthem,but not only that,we were also able to effectively utilize more than 160 military professionals,80 ofwhich belonged to this company and 80 who came from all around Al Asad. "The folks here are as good as I've seen,"added the Detroit native."I've been in Navy medicine for 23 years and am really proud to be leading these troops here. I've never seen it better.This group not only works well together,but they play well together,too.They put personal agendas aside and save lives." As a team,the sailors and Marines ofCharlie Surgical Company are considered one ofthe best,according to Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Chris D.Henderson, corpsman,Shock Trauma Platoon,Charlie Surgical Company. "We are the tip ofthe spear for the Navy,"said Henderson,a 25-year-old native ofSpringfield,Mo.