Helping the helper: 528th Combat Stress Center in Somalia

Seventy-three Rangers were injured and 18 were killed after an ambush in Somalia. Members of the 46th Combat Support Hospital provided nearly continuous care to the wounded soldiers over the subsequent 36 hours. Members of the 528th Combat Stress Center provided psychological support to hospital personnel. Those who provide emergency services to trauma victims are often neglected in terms of the emotional trauma they experience in caring for the injured. This article describes the use of critical incident stress debriefings as a means to reduce distress in the wake of mass-casualty care.