Well, there is something that I have been wondering about since I got out here. What happens if you hurt yourself to the point you can no longer work? Over the last year or two, I have managed to bang myself up a few times. Up to this point, I have been able to deal with most of my injuries with my ample supply of Buzz Lightyear band-aids.
Unfortunately, I got to find out the answer to this question by helping an injured co-worker today. My co-worker was working out a couple of days ago and felt something pop in his back. After trying to let it resolve itself with rest, it became really obvious this was not going to get any better. He was no longer able to walk more than a couple steps, so we had to carry him to the troop medical center on a stretcher. After some triage, it was determined that he probably ruptured a disc in his lower back.
The German Army medics were fabulous. They got an IV started and some drugs on the way to help with the pain. The next stop was the LZ on a stretcher.
The German's sent in two medivac helicopters to pick him up for the flight to the hospital. They come in pairs for protection.
Once they got him loaded, he was on his way to the hospital and, more than likely, on his way back to the U.S.
