Combat Lifesaver Course teaches troops basic battlefield medical skills

      A number of soldiers going through the mobilization process at Fort McCoy are learning basic combat lifesaver procedures at a three-day course presented by the Regional Training Site (RTS)-Medical staff.

Students in the Combat Lifesaver Course practice bandaging simulated head wounds. (Photo by Rob Schuette)

      Darren Farquhar, an RTS-Medical staff member, said the course is offered to all soldiers who do not have a medical military occupational specialty. 

      A recent class included postal, chemical, military police and transportation personnel among others.

      "This is basic care that soldiers may utilize on the battlefield after an incident," he said.  "It's like a civilian first responder."

      The soldiers learn about administering IV fluids, treatment of sucking wounds, and bandaging injuries, among other skills, he said. 

      The course was requested by the 2nd Brigade, 85th Division (Training Support) at Fort McCoy and was driven by feedback from mobilizing units.  Farquhar said RTS-Medical has offered four such courses to date.

Students in the Combat Lifesaver Course prepare to apply a splint to a simulated arm injury. (Photo by Rob Schuette)

      Spc. Stefan Youngbrandt of the 327th Military Police Battalion, an Army Reserve unit from Arlington Heights, Ill., said the course reviewed much of the medical treatment information he received in basic training.   The course covered how to start an IV.

      "This was more in-depth than what I had in basic training," he said.  "It will help us if we run into heatstroke cases and ensure we take all the actions we can to help our fellow soldiers."

      Spc. Matthew Lapinski, a radio operator for the 708th Medical Company, an Army National Guard unit from Chicago, Ill., said he took the course because he wasn't familiar with a lot of the things instructed through the course.  "If our medical folks needed treatment, I would be able to do it."

      Spc. Jamie Hasenfang of the 327th HHD said she took the course to be able to help soldiers if she was on the scene before medics arrived.

A Combat Lifesaver instructor critiques a student's treatment of a simulated leg injury on a mannequin during a hands-on test. (Photo by Rob Schuette)

      As many of the soldiers were, Hasenfang said she was afraid of administering IV fluids before the training.

      "I took the sense of being afraid to become prepared and informed by taking this course," she said.  "I think I would be prepared if the situation arises to help other personnel, and I hopefully wouldn't hesitate."

      Spc. Paul Cafuk of the 1438th Engineer Detachment, an Army National Guard unit from Grayling, Mich., works in the motor pool administrative section of his unit and volunteered to take the training.

      "We needed someone there to be able to render medical sustainment treatment if necessary," he said.

      Spc. Daniel Rader of the 1438th said the training helped soldiers learn how to provide basic medical treatment for situations such as broken limbs or wounds.

      "This is good information to know," Rader said.  "In a field environment, you might be able to save somebody's life."