CLS (combat lifesaver) are trained soldiers or airmen that are non medic such as infantrymen or engineers who receive moderate emergency medical training to provide point of wounding care, and to act as a link between “buddy aid” and the standard Combat Medic. This is one of the training we had to do during CST (Combat Skills Training) the course is about 40 hours long plus an exercise which tested our skills under intense pressure, with fake bloods, explosions, and smoke grenades! It was a lot of fun.
My primary job is not to hunt and kill insurgents but the enemies will try their best of interrupt our mission by placing IEDs, ambush, and etc. The mission is halted if we’re under attack and if we have casualties needing medical attention. We have to get rid of the threat (If necessary) by following the ROE (Rules of Engagement) and also evacuate the casualties by requesting MEDEVAC so they can get medical treatment if needed before we can continue with our mission.
Windshield displaying medevac reporting procedures
Combat lifesaver skills are exactly that, for use in combat conditions. However, skills may be applied in non-combat conditions where soldiers are concerned. The combat lifesaver is instructed in various techniques to treat and stabilize injuries related to combat. To include, but not limited to, blast injury, amputation, severe bleeding, penetrating chest injuries, simple airway management, and evacuation techniques. The combat lifesaver doctrine was developed as an effort to increase survivability in combat environments where the combat medic may not be readily available. The combat lifesaver is a bridge between self aid or buddy aid, and the combat medic. The combat lifesaver can augment the combat medic as the situation necessitates.
Skills of the Combat Lifesaver
- Basic casualty evaluation
- Airway management
- Chest injury and tension pneumothorax management
- Controlling Bleeding
- Intravenous Drip therapy
- Requesting medical evacuation
Just to make myself clear, a combat lifesaver is not a combat medic. We are there to provide aid to casualties to keep them “alive” until the “real” medics arrive so they can get proper treatment if necessary.
What do I think about the CLS course
Death by PowerPoint! I’m not going to lie, it is really boring but the hands on part was fun plus the instructors taught us the practical way to give aid based on their real life experiences. I learned how to stick an IV (Intravenous Solution) and a saline lock. We had to stick an IV to each other and somehow my partner missed my vein and when he started pumping the saline solution, it infiltrated my skin, it felt that my skin was burning and there was a lump size of a ping pong ball and it was filled with saline crawling in my arm it felt like it was a little creature trying to get out of my skin so he had to do it again and now I look like a heroin addict with all holes in my arms
Me giving a saline lock to Senior Airman Boyd
When it was my time to give him the IV solution, I did it right on the first try…. Maybe I was meant to become a Combat Lifesaver. Anyway, this is a good knowledge to have but I hope I will never have to use it. I hope you know what I’m saying.
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