CAPE COD, Mass. – Participants in the Massachusetts Air National Guard’s Tactical Casualty Combat Care exercise last week developed life-saving skills and enhanced their medical readiness.
The 102nd Medical Group’s exercise at Camp Edwards on April 4 helped participants develop critical skills needed in potential combat situations.
“We’ve set up in the field, getting our highly skilled clinicians and medics experience in a combat situation where they can bring their skill sets from their clinics and hospitals, and understand how that translates into the field when they are being fired upon or in a hostile situation in austerior conditions,” said Lt. Col. Eric Sabatinelli, commander of the 102nd Medical Group, Detachment 1.
Sabatinelli said he hopes they learn “that they can do this, that it is possible and that they are ready for that fight tomorrow.”
In small teams, Airmen completed four trauma lane rotations designed to simulate high-stress combat scenarios. These exercises included responding to high-fidelity manikins, simulated opposing fire and live role players. Throughout the four different scenarios, they were required to apply the three phases of TCCC: “Care Under Fire,” “Tactical Field Care” and “Tactical Evacuation.”
During Care Under Fire, teams responded to a wounded member while under simulated enemy fire, focusing on quickly removing the casualty from immediate danger. Once in a safer area, they transitioned to Tactical Field Care, where they stabilized the patient by managing massive bleeding, airway obstructions and other life-threatening injuries. Finally, in the Tactical Evacuation phase, teams used search and extraction techniques to transport patients across rugged terrain to a medical tent where medics could provide advanced care.
“This is important for our unit and for today because we are training for the fight tomorrow,” said Master Sgt. Chelsea Gallardo, medic at the 102nd Medical Group, Detachment 1. “It’s imminent. It’s coming, and you just don’t know when. We’re never completely ready. But we can do the best we can to be ready. This training is the best quality training for saving lives down range and in the field.”
The exercise involved all members of the 102nd MDG, including both medics and clinicians. During TCCC Tier II training, non-medical personnel learned life-saving techniques to stabilize casualties who waited to be evacuated to a medical facility for advanced care. Meanwhile, TCCC Tier III training prepared medical professionals to provide advanced trauma care and manage more complex injuries, including prolonged field care scenarios. As medical and non-medical personnel with various specialties worked together to learn these life-saving skills, teamwork emerged as a focus of the training exercise.
“Our commander has been very specific about the fight to come,” said Tech. Sgt. Alex Sousa, medical logistics non-commissioned officer in charge, 102nd Medical Group, Detachment 1. “To make anything achievable, you need a good team to make it happen. Without a good team that communicates well, that closes the loop on problem solving, every plan is just going to fall to dust or it’s just going to be a very lackluster version of what it could be.”