Next Generation Combat Medic

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Fort Hood, TX
Next Generation Combat Medic

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We provide a forum of perpetual learning, discussion, and camaraderie for "Doc", because knowledge we Fully understand the principle and master the basics.

Remember, We PRACTICE medicine so there is typically "A way" and not "The way". Only then can you apply or adapt to solve the problem and execute.

**Individuals that post in this group will post as private individuals and not as a representative of their organization or official position**

10/23/2026

You’re treating a patient with a traumatic brain injury from a drone blast inside a room, which also damaged their upper left arm. Upper left arm now has a TQ in place.
Patient is nauseous and has worsening mental status. You get a quick BP and see it is 92/64.
What is your first priority? Vote below and let’s talk about what is priority for head injury patients.

We have an article on the website:
“Treating TBI out of the aid bag”. Meant for Medics or their NCO’s/PA to walk through what is going on and what they can do about it, using a provided scenario. Great guest authors and editors helped make this happen so that you can eventually work head injuries and maxillofacial, neck and upper torso injuries into scenarios for drone wound exposure..

Did you know there is a “Tactical MACE” (T-MACE)? A shorter version for the field/ deployment, especially with multiple TBI patients. (Third slide) Search “T-MACE” on Deployed Medicine app.

You can use T-MACE as a card in Aid Bag/ IFAK.

Advanced/Paramedic: When would you consider using a clear fluid for a head injury? Would normal saline, lactated ringers or other fluid be better?

10/23/2026

Wondering how to give back some of that experience and education?
Submit a proposal to present at SOMA 2027 in Raleigh, North Carolina!
Come share ways to improve medical care for our operators and beyond!

🔗 Submit your proposal now: https://bit.ly/4iE0Zon

Next Generation Combat Medic Journal of Special Operations Medicine Special Operations Recruiting Battalion, U.S. Army U.S. Army Special Operations Command 1st Special Forces Command - Airborne Marine Forces Special Operations Command Special Forces Medics Tactical Combat Casualty Care - TCCC - DoD Committee on TCCC Joint Trauma System

10/20/2026

When during your TCCC sequence do you prioritize cutting away (or exposing) clothes over extremities as well as cutting off shirt and taking off plates, as well as checking back / log roll? Vote below and discuss on the poll.
Explain why you
chose your answer, or if it doesn’t fit in 4 options below.

✂️ Slide 2-4 is an example of how one follower modified uniforms to be reusable for cutting off with grommets and zip ties. This enables use of trauma shears instead of ripping velcro, or having the manikin naked like many unfortunately train. While it’s not cutting through clothes, not everyone can acquire extra uniforms from CIF on base or other means. ✂️

Consider: If you are a senior medic grading junior medics or Infantry, do you have a “right” answer for what you expect? Is there certain criteria you expect for it to be done right, or a time when you would call it negative or even a
“lane failure?” i.e., what if a medic chose
one of the other three options besides the one you chose.

2.) What happens if your medic finishes a training lane and they did not expose a limb, or area such as the back? Automatic failure, or do they “get lucky” if there is no wound there?

3.) When would you cut versus temporarily expose?

4.) Would being in an extremely cold environment change consideration of any of this?

10/19/2026

You’re a Senior Medic/Provider grading a SPC/E-4 68W (Combat Paramedic/SOCM) doing a trauma lane for pre-deployment. He is about to push Ketamine on his 176lb patient for procedural sedation in order to do a finger thoracostomy. He verbalizes that he will push 100mg IV of Ketamine for pain. He pulls out a vial of Ketamine that is 500mg/5mL and pushes 0.5mL in his IV or IO site.
Is this an appropriate dose? Why?

1.) If a medic pushes an inappropriate dose of Ketamine, Is this a minor or major? What does this mean for his trauma lane? Nothing because “Ketamine is safe at any dose?” Or still a 5 Rights violation? Poll below. 👇🏻

2.) If you had a medic give an inappropriate dose, verbalizing or otherwise, what would you consider an appropriate remedial training, if any? (Not necessarily what we had to do as younger medics.)

3.) Advanced: How might you tell roleplayer to act when medic does this procedure on this dose of medication? (and how do you tell without medic learning what you tell patient.)

10/17/2026

How do we train up to excel at mass casualty (MASCAL) management before big exercises?

Some units treat the exercise as training and exposure, instead of validation. We shouldn’t get a pat on the back for merely surviving chaos. We should aim to be managing these well, which means preparing in advance.

This may also mean getting another opportunity to refine mistakes made during the exercise through another iteration, instead of saying, “yeah we will fix these next time” (6-12+ months away).

How can a senior medics or provider prepare their units to succeed in these exercises BEFORE dozens of roleplayers covered in moulage pour through?

Let us know what classes, tips, tricks and drills you find useful to help prepare the team for their roles and responsibilities.

🚨One big mistake is newer medics getting tunnel visioned on medicine and treatment sucked into patients before triage.🚨

10/16/2026

Do you correct mistakes immediately or wait until debriefing? Does it depend on when you would do one over the other?

We can’t treat learning a skill, perfecting it, and a validation the same without risking lowering training quality.

This new paper in Military Medicine asks that question, and addresses the common trend of military to wait for the end to make corrections.

This reinforces our guides on training we have on our website. If you teach TCCC these are a must read and can increase your training quality overnight. A majority of these fixes are free, or cheap.

10/16/2026

Do you know a technique to reduce shoulder dislocations?

What are the indications versus risks?

Which technique(s) do you like? Which do you not?

If you need an idea for medic training this week or next, you can watch videos then gently practice in pairs. Medics must also know anatomy, risks, contraindications and more.

Medics also make slings and swathes too loose often and they don’t provide much security. They also forget to check pulse, motor and sensory after application.

UC Emergency Medicine has a great website with explanations and videos for these. Taming The SRU for Part 1 and Part 2.

https://www.tamingthesru.com/blog/consultant-corner/shoulder-dislocation-part-1

https://www.tamingthesru.com/blog/consultant-corner/dislocated-shoulder-part-2

Feel free to share which resources you use.

10/15/2026

Do you have to transport a patient on their back?

I see many times in training that patients are places on their back and strapped down. It’s rare to see someone decide and be comfortable with alternative positions.

Litter movements on the modern battlefield may be longer. Which means it may not be a quick journey on their back. Consider adding into training scenarios patients that are not just in an open field. Consider safety not being 30 feet away, but multiple lengthy movements where prolonged security halts are a liability. Get moving!

What little tips do you have for transporting patients or modifying litters/SOPs?

Grip tape on handles?
Wrist support straps?
Cross body straps?
Additional handles attached in the middle to allow more carriers?
Additional litter straps (3, 4) to help in difficult terrain?

What are common mistakes you see? Let’s discuss making movement easier. Grip strength and lingering wrist injuries can become apparent when litter movements aren’t brief.

10/14/2026

How do you make limited medical supplies go farther?

One big mistake I see is units buying tons of commercial kits when they can’t afford enough to be excellent. Then medics and PA’s get to do something only once or twice before deployment. Do you want to practice a procedure twice or a dozen plus times if you’re trying to save a life?

It may be better to build your own kits, and get to practice more. You’re not just buying 1-2 kits to get mere exposure…

You’re outfitting every medics aid bag, having restock incase those get used, supporting plenty of training reps before deployment/CTC, and stocking the Role 1.

So how can we make $1,000 feel like $10,000+?

Let me know what I missed. 👇🏻

10/13/2026

How do you secure IV’s and IO’s so they do not come out during movement?

Let’s see what techniques you guys are using, or mistakes you see new guys make.

Lines getting ripped out happens with real patients, but training doesn’t always catch this scar. If the line doesn’t get ripped out in training, a medic assumes the method they used was adequate.

It’s up to senior medics to affirm that just because it stayed in for training doesn’t mean “luck” should be relied on.

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Building 19032, 53rd St
Fort Hood, TX
76544

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