EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- The 96th Medical Group’s inaugural medical provider Tactical Combat Casualty Care course took place Dec. 17 - 19 2019. Twelve students alongside seven instructors participated in qualification scenarios.
In 2018, DoD Instruction for medical readiness training mandated standardized combat casualty care be taught locally to service members.
“Having the course here saves countless TDY dollars and allows hundreds of medics and over 9,000 non-medical personnel access to this critical life-saving training,” said Maj. Carter Richardson, the 96th MDG’s education and training flight commander.
The TCCC course replaces the service trauma skills currently taught in first aid and Self Aide Buddy Care courses, according to DoD Instruction 1322.24 on Medical Readiness Training. TCCC teaches life-saving techniques for providing the best trauma care on the battlefield for medics and non-medical personnel.
“Massive bleeding is the number one preventable cause of death on the battlefield and TCCC is the fastest way to take care of a patient,” said Joseph Damian, TCCC instructor from Hurlburt Field, who assisted the Eglin instructors.
The curriculum comes from evidence-based practices from joint-service trauma surgeons, who focused on preventable battlefield deaths.
“Everyone is a medic and we have to make sure we take care of our warfighters downrange,” said Col. Peter Kulis, the 96th MDG Inpatient Squadron commander, who was onsite to observe the simulation.
High-fidelity manikins played the victims during the exercise. The manikins talk to the users, the pupils dilate, squirt blood, and even scream for help, making the training as realistic as possible.
“We’re here to train people how to do TCCC the right way,” said Keith O’Grady, the NAEMT representative from Hurlburt Field.
As a result of the exercise, five medical personnel were certified to instruct the TCCC course here. The 96th MDG will hold monthly TCCC courses to certify all aerospace medical and surgical service personnel by the February 2021 deadline.