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101st Airborne Division Medics Share Knowledge

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division surgeon section conducted Tactical Combat Casualty Care and Eagle First Responder training April 5-6 at Camp Striker in southern Baghdad.

The course was designed to train the medics of 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, on the latest medical standards to further improve their success rates in treating Soldiers.

Three medics, Sgt. Fritz Alokoa, Sgt. Antoine Jordan and Sgt. Carl Lawrence, all with 1st Bn., 22nd Inf. Regt., came to Camp Striker for a two-day orientation of TC3 and EFR techniques under the tutelage of Sgt. 1st Class Joel Thomas, surgeon noncommissioned officer-in-charge, 2nd BCT, 101st Airborne Division.

"We are here to change the mindset and the operational thinking of medics based on the TC3 principles," said Thomas. "The end result is better medics and improved combat care."

The Rascon School for Combat Medicine at Fort Campbell, Ky., developed the TC3 program. The school's primary objective is teaching combat medics new medical tactics, techniques and procedures learned from the Vietnam War through Operation Iraqi Freedom III. The TC3 course is designed to increase the combat medics' success rates as well as their efficiency.

The Eagle First Responder course is an improved version of the Combat Lifesaver Course and based on the TC3 guidelines.

Thomas and Staff Sgt. Cory Heimark spent two days providing an orientation of TC3 and EFR to the medics. The program focused on the use of the new combat action tourniquet, needle decompression and the emergency bandage, which provides first responders improved techniques in providing treatment to an injured Soldier.

Once trained, the medics will return to their units and train other medics on how to use the new skills and concepts they learned and start an EFR program in their units.

"This training is exactly what we needed," said Lawrence, at the conclusion of the second day of training.

"Some of these skills are currently taught to Soldiers in basic training," added Thomas, "but we must bring these improved first-aid standards to all Soldiers."

Source: Multi-National Force-Iraq