Soldiers create realistic mock injuries to aid in training exercises

Approximately 40 soldiers recently gathered in Indiana to learn the art of simulating lacerations, burns and other injuries to add a gruesome touch to training exercises in response tactics.

Army Reserve personnel of the 311th Quartermaster Company-Mortuary Affairs (QC-MA), based in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, trained a group of U.S. Army Reserve soldiers from the 266th Ordinance Company (OC), also of Aguadilla, in the unusual art of moulage to enhance the realism of on-the-ground training, an Army release said.

"The moulage team is the team that makes the fictitious wounds on live patients," Giovanna Preston, team leader and a chemical officer from the 311th QC-MA, said in the release. "This is to re-create what would happen in case of a disaster scenario."

Preston expressed pride in the unit’s performance. Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Rosario, also of the 311th QC-MA, said the unit has extensive anatomical knowledge in order to simulate a variety of gashes, slashes and other injuries – even dog bites.

The training went beyond participants’ previous experience on several levels. Spc. William Guardiola, a horizontal construction engineer with the 266th OC, said it was weird at first, but he and his colleagues fully understood the training’s value for emergency response readiness.