Wednesday, January 3, 2024

TCCC

1996 CAPT Frank Butler formalized concepts and experiences from lessons learned in prior conflicts into first TCCC guidelines, and publishes them as an article. These guidelines were presented to DoD leadership, but were not immediately implemented as a universal standard. However, they were adopted by the Naval Special Warfare Command, 75th Ranger Regiment, the Army Special Missions Unit, and Air Force pararescue community. 

Medical research efforts by the US Special Operations Command led to the initiation of the 42-member Committee on TCCC (CoTCCC). CoTCCC's mission is “To develop on an ongoing basis the best possible set of trauma care guidelines customized for the tactical environment and to facilitate the transition of these recommendations into battlefield trauma care practice.” CoTCCC membership includes representatives from all service branches, and includes surgical specialists, emergency physicians, combat medical educators, physicians assistants, nurses, and medical planners. At least 30% of the voting membership must be active or former combat medics, paramedics, or pararescuemen. TCCC guidelines are based on evidence-based medicine, not anecdotal instances. 

In 2013 CoTCCC was moved under the Joint Trauma System's jurisdication (JTS). JTS was put together in order to improve military care of trauma patients. It has 6 components:

1) DOD Trauma Registry Management

2) Defense Committee on Trauma

3) Performance Improvement

4) Combatant Command Trauma System Management

5) Joint Trauma Education and Training

6) Defense Medical Readiness Institute

JTS develops and maintains Clinical Practice Guidelines, recommending combat casualty care training requirements, evaluating new medical equipment, facilitating medical performance improvements, facilitating collection and sharing of combat casualty data, maintaining the DOD Trauma Registry, and improving the organization and delivery of trauma care. 

Some level of TCCC is required for all US service members. The levels are listed below; ASM is the most basic, and CPP is the most advanced.

ASM All Service Members

CLS Combat Lifesaver

CMC Combat Medic/Corpsman

CPP Combat Provider Paramedic

The latest version of TCCC was released in 2020 and can be found here.

Deployed Medicine.org by the US Defense Health Agency provides online combat medicine learning materials, including Combat Lifesaver, Medic, and Paramedic courses and Prolonged Field Care Guidelines

TCCC Tactical Casualty Care, full Combat Medic/ Corpsman Course, Prolonged Field Care, and other resources at tcc.org English and Ukrainian versions available 

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