![]() |
| Combat Casualty Care SOF Handbook free PDF |
U.S. ARMY
(U//FOUO) U.S. Army Special Operations Forces Combat Casualty Care Handbook
January 8, 2013
Managing combat trauma on the modern battlefield represents challenges that are scarcely encountered within the civilian community. The advent of tactical combat casualty care (TCCC) represented a fundamental paradigm shift from the care of casualties (CAX) that evolved in the late 1970s. Special operations forces (SOF) engaged in combat operations, removed from conventional forces (CF) and with austere logistical support, represent a set of unique challenges, as well. The limited amount of equipment and medical supplies, coupled with delays in evacuation, add to what is already a frightening experience. Being wounded also generates great fear and anxiety in the CAX. Special operations medics, exposed to hostile fire while caring for CAX, become likely targets, resulting in the special operations medic unintentionally becoming “part of the problem, not the solution” and forcing CAX to care for themselves. The conditions associated with this type of environment demand specialized training for all SOF. We refer to this specialized training as SOF combat casualty care.
• Medical equipment limitations: CLS/medical personnel are generally limited to what they are carrying in their CLS kit or medical aid bag.
• A widely variable evacuation time: In the civilian community, evacuation is generally under 25 minutes; in a combat situation, it may be delayed for several hours.
• Tactical considerations: Tactical constraints that may take precedence over medical care and the timely evacuation of CAX.
• Casualty transportation: CASEVAC may or may not be available. Air superiority must be achieved before any air evacuation assets will be deployed. As stated previously, the tactical situation must dictate when or if CASEVAC can occur. Additionally, there are environmental factors that may prevent evacuation assets from reaching CAX.
• Surgically-uncorrectable torso trauma. Trauma to this region has significantly decreased due in part to the use of Interceptor Body Armor/Improved Outer Tactical Vest; however, trauma to unprotected
areas, such as the axillary region, still occurs and is frequently not survivable. Penetrating wounds to the abdomen, without significant vascular involvement, may be survivable for several hours.
• Potentially correctable surgical trauma.
• Exsanguination; hemorrhage from extremity wounds remains the leading cause of preventable death. Extremity wounds account for over 60% of all wounds on today’s battlefield.
• Mutilating blast trauma. These horrific wounds are not usually survivable. Improvised explosive devices (IEDs)/vehicle-borne IEDs (VBIEDs) are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in OIF/OEF.
• Tension pneumothorax (PTX). This is the second leading cause of death on the battlefield. Penetrating chest trauma still exists, even with the advent of body armor, and can become rapidly fatal without timely medical intervention.
• Airway obstruction/injury; the third leading cause of preventable death. While this is a small percentage, mostly due to maxillofacial trauma, these injuries require immediate attention to ensure survivability of CAX.
• Died of wounds, mainly due to infection and shock.
• Tactical field care: The care rendered by the CLS/special operations medic once they and CAX are no longer under effective hostile fire. Tactical field care also applies to situations in which an injury has occurred, but there is no hostile fire. Available medical equipment is still limited to that carried into the field by medical personnel. Time to evacuation from the POI or other casualty evacuation point to an MTF may vary considerably, from a few minutes to many hours.
• Combat CASEVAC care: The care rendered once CAX have been picked up by an aircraft, vehicle, or boat and transported to a higher level (echelon) of care. Additional medical personnel and equipment may have been pre-staged and made available at this stage of casualty management.
![]() |
| New TCCC Card Tactical Combat Casualty Care TCCC |
EMS SOLUTIONS International. Marca Registrada N0375601. Casi 5M 5,000,000. Cinco millones de visitas by Dr. Ramon REYES, MD
http://emssolutionsint.blogspot.com/2018/07/ems-solutions-international-marca.html
TOP 10 publicaciones mas Visitadas
http://emssolutionsint.blogspot.com/2018/07/ems-solutions-international-marca.html










