By Army Sgt. James Waltz
Special to American Forces Press Service
CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq, July 24, 2009 – Army Spc. Amanda Cleveland is a self-described simple girl who is \”not into drama.\” But it\’s tough for an Army medic to avoid dramatic situations, especially during a deployment to Iraq.
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Army Spc. Amanda Cleveland, a medic for the 28th Combat Aviation Brigade, describes the importance of pressure in stopping blood loss during first-aid training at Contingency Operating Base Adder, Iraq. Cleveland has trained nearly 1,000 soldiers in Task Force Keystone leading up to and during a nine-month deployment to Iraq. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. James Waltz
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Cleveland\’s comrades say it is her ability to consistently help people — not the drama — that drives the Williamsport, Pa., native to excel at her job.
Cleveland graduated from high school in 2007 at 17 and immediately took on basic combat training and combat medical school.
\”I really wanted to go into the medical field and wasn\’t sure how I was going to do it,\” she said. \”A recruiter was able to get me into the health care field and give me a $20,000 bonus on top of it.\”
Cleveland was 18 when her six months of rigorous medical training began. She admits being a bit nervous. \”It was the longest time I had ever been away from my family,\” she said. \”I don\’t know if I could have graduated if it had not been for a few older friends I had made who shared their previous experiences with me.\”
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