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INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey – The Air Force Medical Service tasked the 39th Medical Group to test the service’s first blended curriculum, enhancing the readiness and skills of medical personnel, Soldiers, and NATO allies at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, April 20-24, 2022.
The new course combined AFMS Medic-X training and traditional Tactical Combat Casualty Care Combat Life Saver course to prepare medics and non-medical personnel for prolonged field care.
“Incirlik, was chosen as a Medic-X beta test site because of the existing TCCC cadre already in place and the prioritization of [multi-capable Airmen] within the 39th MDG and 39th [Air Base Wing],” said U.S. Air Force Col. Christopher Kelly, 39th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron commander. “Based on our remote location, the current operating environment and potential threat level, the 39 MDG leadership prioritized TCCC and Medic-X as a strategic initiative.”
During the five-day training event, trainees learned multi-capable Airman concepts that were integrated into the traditional TCCC.
“This [training] is a standardized approach for battlefield medical care with a progressive tiered approach that targets specific medical interventions based on the Airmen’s role in a trauma situation,” Kelly stated. “These lifesaving skills can be applied to both combat and everyday life.”
TCCC provides basic lifesaving skills to military members through evidence-based training that reflects casualty care lessons spanning over 20 years of war. These skills are expected to significantly reduce preventable prehospital trauma-related deaths, while Medic-X skills use multi-capable Airmen concepts to prepare non-clinical Airmen to assist in tactical clinical support.
“As our [Air Force Medical Service] is challenged with a limited number of medical personnel, MCA within the AFMS allows all medical members to be trained, in a standardized approach, to a level that allows all AFMS members to participate at a basic level of direct patient care,” Kelly explained.
Kelly added that the 39th MDG used this opportunity to leverage their partnerships with joint and international units throughout the base to ensure a hands-on, interactive course.
“The 39th MDG has built many partnerships with the Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, Army helo squadron, [39th] Security Forces Squadron, [39th] Logistics Readiness Squadron and four NATO partners that enable the MDG to provide a unique training environment [for] robust hands-on training for medics,” he said.
According to U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Marckus Humphries, an ambulance services technician assigned to the 39th Healthcare Operations Squadron, this joint readiness training ensures Airmen, Soldiers and NATO allies across Incirlik AB have the ability to perform simple medical tasks in the event of mass casualty or combat emergency situations.
“Readiness training is just one of the ways we can prepare our Airmen for any event that happens,” Humphries explained. “Being able to utilize anyone in the most basic areas will reduce the amount of stress and struggle that members will have to go through.”
Kelly also underscored the importance of this combined training to developing multi-capable Airmen capable of fulfilling evolving security requirements.
“We do not know what enemy we will face tomorrow, [and] we must prepare our medics now to be ready to meet those future challenges. Medic-X and TCCC directly influence our medics’ adaptability to answer when called upon.”
| Date Taken: | 05.11.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 05.11.2022 08:45 |
| Story ID: | 420443 |
| Location: | ADANA, TR |
| Web Views: | 96 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, 39 MDG beta tests AFMS first blended TCCC and Medic-X curriculum, by SSgt Gabrielle Winn, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
