How often do Marines take the Marine Combat Lifesaver Course (Tactical Combat Casualty Care), and what are your experiences with it?

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 06 Aug 2016 17:41:39 -0400

I was doing research on the Army Combat Lifesaver course and found the Marines have a very similar course. Was wondering how many Marines typically take this course? In the Army we send a few per squad in garrison or whole platoons prior to deployment. Also wondering what its like for you, ours is 3 days of slides + some hands on and a written test.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 6 at 2016 5:48 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 06 Aug 2016 17:48:02 -0400

Great article and question! I do not remember a course like that 35 years ago. Good training.

Response by Sgt Seth Welch made Aug 6 at 2016 6:43 PM

Sgt Seth Welch — Sat, 06 Aug 2016 18:43:36 -0400

Can't remember the particular curriculum but my unit had 100% attendance during Afghanistan work ups, I only recall that there was class and hand on portions. Useful stuff.

Response by Capt Mark Strobl made Aug 6 at 2016 7:21 PM

Capt Mark Strobl — Sat, 06 Aug 2016 19:21:30 -0400

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member - Field Medical Training Battalion is the school that Navy Corpmen (HM) attend prior to being assigned to a Fleet Marine Force (FMF) unit. Unless things have changed, it would be an anomaly for a Marine to attend.

Response by MGySgt Rick Tyrrell made Aug 6 at 2016 9:23 PM

MGySgt Rick Tyrrell — Sat, 06 Aug 2016 21:23:33 -0400

I actually took this course in the Marines. We learned more than the basic first aid, draw blood, give IV's... We would be provided with a medic kit. To answer your question only once. The program only lasted a couple years.

Response by Capt Richard I P. made Aug 6 at 2016 11:55 PM

Capt Richard I P. — Sat, 06 Aug 2016 23:55:37 -0400

My team and I got a custom built CLS class from a Navy Lt. Reservist Doctor and his reservist HM1. The Doctor was prior enlisted, first as a Ranger medic in the Army, then in the Navy Reserves a Corpsman with a deployment supporting 4th Recon taking a break from his residency in a Dallas Hospital. Where he went to work in the ER after he grudgingly accepted a Navy reserve commission, dealing with trauma daily. His HM1 was a Dallas paramedic doing the same. Their class was fantastic.

I feel like it has to have been much better than the standard CLS class.

Response by PO3 Pat Kerwood made Aug 7 at 2016 5:09 PM

PO3 Pat Kerwood — Sun, 07 Aug 2016 17:09:24 -0400

When I was attached to the Marines we were still putting them through combat life saver courses, but it was mostly run by each battalion and the BAS crews. They got basic bags with nothing fancy in them, but afterward I was approached by a few of my marines and they wanted to be shown how to do a few more advanced things.

Response by PFC Al Sethre made Aug 7 at 2016 10:49 PM

PFC Al Sethre — Sun, 07 Aug 2016 22:49:02 -0400

They had a one day instruction when I was at the School of Infantry in 2006.

Response by GySgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 8 at 2016 10:24 AM

GySgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 10:24:12 -0400

I went through it and if I remember it expires in a year or two

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 11 at 2016 12:31 AM

PO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 00:31:48 -0400

In battalions now, it's almost standard that we give our Marines CLS classes. We teach them the basics of CUF (care under fire) and stuff such as nasopharyngeal airways, occlusal dressings and tournaquits. We put them under "stress" (I.e. make them run around in flak and do push ups and stuff) and them have them put a tournaquit on their buddy and get them off the X in the "2 minute" time hack. It's pretty great stuff to teach them and they love learning it. We teach them so that they can also start to render care before we (the corpsman) get there if they are closer, saving precious seconds possibly minutes of treatment to the casualty.

Response by SFC Michael Tucker made Jun 12 at 2017 3:49 AM

SFC Michael Tucker — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 03:49:24 -0400

My Battalion had the, then, 1st Force Recon one block to our left and 1st ANGLICO one block to the right of us. So, every chance our S-3 got, they were grabbing guys for all sorts of classes that Recon and ANGLICO couldn't fill. And medical training taught by a few SEAL Corpsmen for a week every quarter and every time we had a Damn stand-down.