b. Tactical Field Care. Tactical field care is the care rendered by the soldier
medic once he and the casualty are no longer under effective hostile fire. It also applies
to situations in which an injury has occurred, but there is no hostile fire. Available
medical equipment is still limited to that being carried into the field by medical
personnel. The time needed to evacuate the casualty to a medical treatment facility
(MTF) may vary considerably.
c. Combat Casualty Evacuation Care. Combat casualty evacuation
(CASEVAC) care is the care rendered once the casualty has been picked up by an
aircraft, vehicle, or boat. Additional medical personnel and equipment may have been
pre-staged and are available at this stage of casualty management.
1-3.
CARE UNDER FIRE
a. Medical personnel's firepower may be essential in obtaining tactical fire
superiority. Attention to suppression of hostile fire may minimize the risk of injury to
personnel and minimize additional injury to previously injured soldiers. The best
offense on the battlefield is tactical fire superiority. There is little time available to
provide care while under enemy fire and it may be more important to suppress enemy
fire than stopping to care for casualties. The tactical situation will dictate when and
how much care you can provide. Finally, when a medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) is
requested, the tactical situation may not safely allow the air asset to respond.
b. Personnel may need to assist in returning fire instead of stopping to care for
casualties. This may include wounded soldiers that are still able to fight.
c. Wounded soldiers who are unable to fight and who are exposed to enemy fire
should move as quickly as possible to any nearby cover. If no cover is available or the
wounded soldier cannot move to cover, he should lie flat and motionless (play dead).
d. Figure 1-1 depicts a tragic situation. A wounded Marine is down in the street.
A colleague attempts to come to his rescue along with a second Marine. Enemy fire
continues in the area and the first rescuer is critically wounded. The second rescuer
returns behind cover. Eventually, after enemy fire is contained, the first wounded
Marine is rescued and the initial rescuer is permanently disabled. The point is, when
under enemy fire, we cannot afford to rush blindly into a danger area to rescue a fallen
comrade. If we do, there may be additional soldiers wounded or killed attempting to
rescue our wounded.
MD0554
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