Photo By Airman 1st Class Raul Mercado | U.S. Airmen assigned to Air Force Special Operations Command stabilize a casualty and...... read more read more
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HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. — In a dark room, the crackle of simulated gunfire and distant explosions filled the air as Airmen worked methodically to treat simulated wounds on mannequins. With only the glow of night-vision flashlights, they stabilized simulated casualties in a high-stress environment designed to replicate the chaos of combat.
This scenario aims to prepare doctors, physician assistants and independent duty medical technicians, embedded within Special Operations units across the Air Force Special Operations Command enterprise, for potential challenges of providing medical care in austere, unpredictable environments. This training, conducted three times a year, is part of a Special Operations Forces Medical Skills Development program hosted at Hurlburt Field, Florida.
“They stress you and push you past your comfort levels,” said an AFSOC physician assistant and course participant. “They want to help expose those weak points early on so we can work on them before going on real-world missions. It sets us up for success.”
The training unfolds over 33 class days, beginning with the basics: trauma assessment, Tier Four Tactical Combat Casualty Care and casualty evacuation.
According to an AFSOC advanced medical training instructor, most participants come from clinical or hospital settings and the shift to chaotic field environments presents new challenges such as environmental factors, limited supplies, limited movement capabilities and limited communication capabilities.
"We bring a wealth of experience to our training," said the instructor. "Much of it is drawn from real-world combat. Many of us have been deployed and carried out these procedures under actual operational conditions."
After executing the basics, participants are then challenged to develop proficiency in advanced techniques like Prolonged Casualty Care (PCC), where medics must stabilize complex patients for over 24 hours while continuously adapting to evolving medical needs.
According to the physician assistant and participant, the PCC portion of the program includes the most challenging aspects of medical care such as using ventilators, a variety of medications and drip calculations all while having limited resources on hand or delay in resource support.
“Ultimately, you have very sick patients that you try to keep alive until they can be evacuated out,” said the physician assistant. “This course is essential to our success when looking at future challenges we face.”
Equipped with this intensive training and a deeper understanding of casualty care, the physician assistant expressed they came out better prepared to face the demanding realities of their role.
“The medical team is a crucial piece within Special Operations. We may not be kicking down doors, but we are taking care of the people who are,” said the physician assistant. “This training will allow us to get through those high-pressure situations in a calmer, more prepared state.”
| Date Taken: | 04.07.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.07.2025 15:25 |
| Story ID: | 494767 |
| Location: | HURLBURT FIELD, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 155 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Special Operation Forces medical Airmen train for combat, by A1C Raul Mercado, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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