Southern Illinois volunteer in Ukraine: 'They found out I have the skills they need'

UKRAINE - It's been a couple weeks since David Brymer of southern Illinois arrived in Ukraine, determined to do what he could to help a nation he feels is being wronged.

"They found out I have skills they need," said Brymer during a phone call last Saturday morning, which was already Saturday evening for him. "They have put me in charge of setting up battalion aid centers and training staff to man them."

After graduating high school in 2012, Brymer served four years in the U.S. Army as a medic. After a cancer diagnosis forced him to not re-up, Brymer, who is Jewish, moved to Israel and obtained citizenship, allowing him to serve in the Israeli Defense Force. He's back in the U.S. now, and entered Ukraine last week through Poland.

Brymer is among a small group of American veterans who are heading to Ukraine to join the fight, at the invitation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Last week Zelenskyy said he would create a foreign legion, and requested volunteers from around the world.

Brymer said while there are limited numbers of doctors and nurses, he is training people to act as field medics that have no formal training or background in the medical field.

"One girl I was training for the past two days was a barista in a hotel until two weeks ago," he said. That girl is only 20 years old. "She was trying to organize things without any training," said David, "and she was doing a pretty good job." David said he is impressed with what he described as the "indomitable spirit of the people" of Ukraine.

While Ukrainian volunteers continue to come forward, David said that trained combat medics are needed. "We need them to train medics," he said. "Right now we are averaging about 140 people per medic. That number needs to be around 10."

David said that having Americans on the ground serves another, more important purpose. "It makes them (the people of Ukraine) feel like they're not alone," he said. Medical supplies are also in short supply, according to David. "If you can think of it as a medical supply, we need it," he said, noting gauze, bandages, syringes, tubing.

He called on his buddies to help.

Mike Cross, commander of the Benton American Legion Post #280, has agreed for Post #280 to be a local drop point for this humanitarian effort. Cross said information on how to help will be posted on the organization's Facebook page. David said simply sending supplies or donations to the bigger organizations is a problem. "The country is split and the supplies are not getting to where they are needed," he said.

Instead, David said such supplies need to get to Poland. "If things get to Poland," he said, "I can get them across the border and to where they need to go." At this point, the sun had set in Ukraine, marking another day that its people held firm to their democracy, keeping the invading Russians at bay.

As David spoke, I heard the sound of a siren, and a voice speaking a language I do not understand, began talking above the sound of explosions.

"Damn," said David. "It's another air raid. I have to go."

I sat for nearly 20 long minutes, staring at my phone until the message came.

"I'm safe. It's over ... for now."