VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The 30th Medical Group held its first-ever Tier Two Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) course on March 24, 2022, enhancing the skills of its medical readiness personnel during potential combat situations.
Led by U.S. Air Force Maj. Jessica Meade, 30th Medical Group Aerospace and Operational Medicine flight commander, 21 medical group members with backgrounds in logistics, lab, radiology, dental, and mental health, completed the 40-hour course, which included classroom and hands-on skills, as well as written tests.
"The phases range from checking a wounded person's condition and returning fire in 'Care Under Fire,' to 'Tactical Evacuation Care' which involves getting the wounded to safety and a higher level of care,” explained Meade. “Tier 2 skills also focus on controlling massive hemorrhage, maintaining the airway, and rapid assessment in battlefield situations.”
The course culminated with a field training exercise. The students, armed with paintball guns, endured a simulated combat scenario testing their ability to rescue casualties. During the scenario, they provided medical care to volunteers and mannequins, while also returning fire.
Meade reported that the feedback from the students was overwhelmingly positive, with many saying it was the most valuable training they had received in their career.
The course, developed by the Defense Health Agency, is the new standard for military medical training for all U.S. military service branches and replaces the Self-Aid and Buddy Care course. TCCC has four levels of qualification: All Service Members (Tier 1), Combat Lifesaver (Tier 2), Combat Medic (Tier 3) and Combat Paramedic (Tier 4).