Airman teaches SABC to students during Pacific Unity 14-8

by Tech. Sgt. Terri Paden
PACUNITY Public Affairs

9/15/2014 - MOUNT HAGEN, Papua New Guinea  -- Maj. Nathaniel Duff is deployed to Papua New Guinea in support of Pacific Unity 14-8, but recently took time out from his duties as the team medic to host a self-aid and buddy care clinic for students at Togoba Secondary School in Mount Hagen.

Pacific Unity is a bilateral Engineering Civic Action Program conducted in the Asia-Pacific region in collaboration with host nation civil authorities and military personnel. This year marks the fourth iteration of the operation, with efforts focused on the construction of two new dormitories for female students at the school.

In addition to constructing the dormitories, the Pacific Unity 14-8 team has embarked upon several endeavors to further improve the school and local community, including teaching basic life-saving medical skills to the clinic attendees.

Duff, who is deployed from the Hawaii Air National Guard's 154th Medical Group as the medical officer for Pacific Unity 14-8, taught the class of more than 40 biology, chemistry and physic students how to check for a pulse, perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, stabilize a neck injury, make a splint, wrap a pressure bandage, make a sling and apply a tourniquet.

"We are working at a school so teaching is a valuable way to interact with the students and provides a medium to share and learn," Duff said of his decision to teach the class. "It's a way for them to learn a little about us and for me to learn about their culture."

Duff said his goal was to teach the students basic first aid which could be used by anybody anywhere, but he also wanted to inspire them.

"I think his demonstration was really cool, and I think I could do some of those things if I had to ... I could help someone without the assistance of a doctor," said Belinda Tau, a senior at Togoba Secondary school who attended the class.

Tau, who aspires to be the first female neuro-surgeon in Papua New Guinea, said she's been interested in medicine since she was a young child, and was impressed and appreciative of the interactive demonstrations by Duff.

Though the focus of the clinic was basic first aid procedures, Duff said he also wanted to show the students yet another side of the U.S. Air Force than what they'd seen on television or at the construction site.

"The point was interaction," he said. "This wasn't about medicine it was about spending time with the kids, making them laugh and answering questions. This [medicine] was the medium I used to do that."