Tactical Rescue

Consider Tactical Rescue

In Care under Fire Reloaded, Step 5 states “Consider Tactical Rescue, if realistic and required”. Rather than ‘perform’ or ‘decide’, the word ‘consider’ was carefully chosen. Consider is defined as to think carefully about, especially in order to make a decision. Whether or not, to perform a Tactical Rescue (TR) must be weighed against the casualty’s condition, the ground, risk to the rescue team, tactical assets available, and the enemies’ own actions. It is a tactical and medical assessment. Sometimes, the decision will not be in the best interest of the casualty. Risk to the mission and the team may be too great. There is much to consider.

US PJs performing casualty movement
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SCORE

A Post Engagement Drill

Scan and Assess

The mantra ‘scan and breathe’ is shouted regularly by range staff during military range practices and private tactical courses. Those of us that have participated or lead instruction in this training have hoarseness in our voices by the end of the training day. The concept to continually update your situational awareness (SA) and regulate your breathing to control your Body Alarm Response (BAR) is widely accepted.

BFG in Canada

BFG at Patriot Square, Camp Phoenix, Kabul, Afghanistan

Click here to get BLUE FORCE GEAR in CANADA

Take care out there.

CTOMS 2nd Line Assault Module

CTOMS 2nd Line Assault Module

Ground breaking in design, its versatility hasn't stopped improving. Now with more accessories and configuration options than ever before, the CTOMS™ 2ndLine™ pack.


Look for a multi-part review of the CTOMS 2nd Line series soon.

Take care out there.

COLD-HN

Winter Training Cycle

Canadian Forces Winter Warfare Advanced (WWA) course
Courtesy of CF Combat Camera
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A reality of being living in the Northern Hemisphere, it is cold and wet half the year. This is a combination of late fall, winter and early spring. That is a long period of time when the environment will complicate our training rotation. Do we stop training because it is cold and uncomfortable? Do gunfights, security threats and missions only happen on bright and sunny days? Is stress management through hard play any less in the colder times of the year? Obviously, the answer is NO, to all three questions. Training in adverse weather prepares us for operating in adverse weather conditions. The challenges presented when training, operating, and playing in cold wet environments is easily mitigated through proper preparation. Remember, the mnemonic: COLD-HN.

Care under Fire Reloaded

US Pararescue Jumpers in Care under Fire exercise
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Care under Fire Reloaded is the first of a series of articles regarding the fundamentals of Tactical Combat Casualty Care. It is an attempt to create some clarity, point out solutions, and generate some discussion. "What worked yesterday would be fine, if it was yesterday”. We are obliged to those we serve to constantly strive for excellence.

SLAPS

Pre-Engagement Drill or Admin Ritual

In my deployments , pre-deployment training and in less intense training venues, I have seen sidearms carried without a magazine outside the wire, heard a ‘click’ rather than a ‘bang’ from a fire team partner, and  have seen batteries in weapon lights and IR lasers being replaced in the dark because functionality was not check prior to departure. This comes down to two things; lack of a pre-engagement drills and assumption. We all know what ‘assumption’ really stands for…

Operators carry multiple weapons systems with ancillary equipment
to allow them to be effective regardless of conditions.

Lest We Forget

God Bless the Fallen

Proud to be a veteran. Proud to have served and fought beside the greatest men and women that Canada and our allies has to offer.

Today, Remember the Fallen, their families and the freedoms that they have protected.

Take care out there.

Five Fingers of Tactical Proficiency

I use the human hand as an aide-mémoire to remember the principles of tactical training to which I adhere. There are a few reasons I do this: you use your hands to manipulate weapons and other tactical equipment and you will always have your training mnemonic with you!

Blue Force Brittney

Blue Force Brittney with a patch from
Whiskey Delta Gulf

SureFire Helmet Light HL1-A

My Gallet CG634 helmet is a modified French design, based on the PASGT, but modified for compatibility with Canadian kit. The CG634 is similarly shaped and oft mistaken for a MICH TC-2000 Combat Helmet. Mounted on the left side of my helmet is a SureFire Helmet Light HL1-A.

SureFire Helmet Light HL1-A
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Range GSW kit

Range GSW Kit

There has been a lot of traffic on blogs and forums in the past few years on the subject of GSW kits for range activities. Some of the answers and post I have read have been almost comical if it wasn't for the horrific consequences of the responses. Yes, I do recommend that anyone honing their skills in dynamic training, IPSC, IDPA or tactical, has an aid kit capable of treating serious GSW trauma. But, carrying an aid kit is not the total solution.

CTOMS Tourniquet Pouch, Gen II

CTOMS Tourniquet Pouch 
Gen 2

During Care under Fire (CuF), the tactical situation is still active; meaning you are engaged in combat or under an impending threat. Accurate fire superiority and simple quick medical interventions are the most viable forms of treatment at this time. The only equipment available to a responder, at this time, would be the casualties’ tourniquet and their own hands.  Stopping life-threatening extremity bleeds with a tourniquet and use of recovery position are the only interventions done during this phase. These are simple and rapidly executed interventions that will save a good portion of battle casualties.