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Task Force Americal Soldiers partner with Royal Saudi Land Forces for coalition TCCC platoon immersion

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Shannon Bowman

In partnership with the Royal Saudi Land Forces, U.S. Army's Task Force Americal hosted a joint coalition tactical combat casualty care course (TCCC) at Prince Sultan Air Base, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The 1st Battalion, 182nd Infantry Regiment Medical Platoon conducted the course to train Soldiers on combat lifesaving (CLS) techniques and to better prepare them to handle care under fire scenarios.

“The combat lifesaver is a non-medical Soldier trained to provide enhanced first aid and lifesaving procedures beyond the level of self-aid buddy care,” said Sgt. 1st Class Wilfredy Espinal, 1-182nd Infantry Regiment Medical Platoon sergeant. “Having CLS certified Soldiers, allows infantry units to enhance their emergency medical response capabilities.”

TCCC was designed to decrease the likelihood of death from combat wounds by providing trauma stabilization techniques for the wounded to survive long enough to be evacuated from danger and receive life-saving treatment at a medical facility.

According to Espinal, it is important for Soldiers in deployed locations to know these techniques and having them fresh in the mind can be the difference in saving one’s own or a colleague’s life.

“In deployed environments potential threats do actually exist,” said Espinal. “So, Soldiers must maintain readiness and continuously train. By having this training, if a medical emergency arises, Soldiers will be prepared and know the steps necessary to help get their battle buddies out of danger and to a medical facility.”

In addition to 1-182nd Infantry Regiment, Soldiers assigned to the 1436th Engineering Company, the 169th Medical Detachment Veterinary Services and the Royal Saudi Land Forces attended the training course.

For Espinal, having the chance to help instruct and integrate with the RSLF was both a great learning experience and a way to help sustain relationships between partner nations.

“We learned so much about each other’s culture and military,” said Espinal. “Training with partner nations builds long lasting relationships. It is beneficial to have CLS training similarities because having a standardized approach to Tactical Combat Casualty Care amongst partner nations will prepare us for real world multinational operations.”