Tier 2 Combat Lifesaver Course (CLS) Training for Army Personnel

DoD Requirements

DoDI 1322.24 establishes the following DoD requirements:

All Service members (officer and enlisted) will complete appropriate role-based (i.e., All Service Members, combat lifesaver, combat medic/hospital corpsman/aerospace medicine technician, combat paramedic/provider) TCCC training and certification as outlined in the JTS’s TCCC skills list. TCCC certification may be categorized as either an initial certification or recertification.

Passing the CLS Exam is a component of completing CLS training but does not make a trainee CLS-certified. CLS Certification also includes a performance evaluation.

Army Requirements

The Army has issued a requirement for Tier 2 CLS certification in AR 350-1.

Each squad, crew, or equivalent-sized deployable unit will have at least one member certified as a Combat Lifesaver. (AR 350-1)

The Army has issued a Training Support Package (TSP) on the Central Army Registry (CAR) for conducting Tier 2 CLS training. Additional Service specific information beyond the DHA produced joint courses hosted on Deployed Medicine must be taught during CLS. CLS trainers must use the Central Army Registry (CAR) CLS Training Support Package (TSP). Download part 1 and part 2 of the CLS TSP. These are the Army requirements for conducting CLS training to AR 350-1 standards and the CLS TSP coordinating instructions 081-CLS-0001 / 1.4 approved 23 Sep 2022.

This training is intended for initial certification 5 days/40 hours and WILL NOT be condensed but can be modified for refresher training.

- The initial course will be 40 hours.
- Will follow the course map from Deployed Medicine.
- Written examination (online only) is required.
- Practical exercise and validation of skills is required.
- Certification is valid for one year.

Soldiers should review course content prior to beginning the refresher training which will be conducted over two days.

A refresher course will be conducted annually or for pre-deployment. Battalion or brigade senior 68W, Combat Medic Specialist, will coordinate all Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC), Combat Life Saver (CLS) training, materiel, and equipment to conduct CLS classes tailored to the unit’s requirements. The course content from Deployed Medicine website and the TSP will be used at a minimum. Additional course content can be added based on the units METL and the operational environment.

ALL CLS Students MUST:

- Complete the All Service Members (ASM) course prior to class or to those whose Service-specific requirements begin with CLS as a foundational level of training.

All CLS Trainers MUST:

- Be certified in TCCC and complete the appropriate JTS-developed “train the trainer” course every 3 years (DoDI 1322.24 Requirement)
- Complete the CLS Train the Trainer Course prior to beginning the course. (JTS/DHA requirement)
- Be medical providers i.e., Medics/Corpsman, Flight Paramedic etc (JTS/DHA requirement)
- Be qualified to provide medical care at or higher than the level of care they wish to train others at. (JTS/DHA requirement)
- Be a medical NCO, 68W, current in CLS certification. (AR 350-1 requirement)
- Ensure the primary instructor at the division or brigade is a Senior Medical NCO and the primary instructor at the battalion is at least an E-6/SSG. (ICT: 081-68W-2003 Manage a CLS Program)
- Be fully Military Occupational Specialty qualified and have maintained the 68W for a period of at least one year. (ICT: 081-68W-2003 Manage a CLS Program)
- Be basic life support certified. (ICT: 081-68W-2003 Manage a CLS Program)
- Have an initial instructor evaluation completed (by the Course Manager or Medical Director) no later than 30 days prior to the start of instruction. (ICT: 081-68W-2003 Manage a CLS Program)
- Have completed MEDIC Tables (or equivalent) within the last twelve months. (ICT: 081-68W-2003 Manage a CLS Program)
- Be placed on additional duty orders. (ICT: 081-68W-2003 Manage a CLS Program)
- Be trained on equipment, course material and requirements. (ICT: 081-68W-2003 Manage a CLS Program)

All CLS Assistant Trainers MUST:

- Complete and pass the CLS Student’s Course. (JTS/DHA requirement)

Tracking Training and Course Completion Credit

Units will record all assigned Service member and DoD-EC TCCC certifications (initial and recertification) in Digital Training Management System (DTMS). There is no DTMS code for Tier 2 training currently. Soldiers will take a copy of the initial certificate signed by an 05 or above to their S-1 for inclusion into their personnel records.

ATRRS credit requests must be sent through the designated email inbox using the Instructions for CLC Instructors

Send student rosters via encrypted email via DoD SAFE to usarmy.jbsa.medical-coe.mbx.online-help-desk@army.mil. DoD SAFE https://safe.apps.mil

The POC for questions is the MEDCoE TSB Distance Learning Help-Desk at: 210-221-5695, 888-263-3356, or DSN 471-5695.

Training Frequency

Training frequency for Service members and DoD-EC completing the TCCC All Service Member course is at the discretion of the Military Service, with the stipulation that certification be completed prior to deployment. Training frequency for Service members and DoD-EC completing the TCCC combat lifesaver, TCCC combat medic/hospital corpsman/aerospace medicine technician, or TCCC combat paramedic/provider course follows these guidelines:

All active Component Service members and some DoD-EC personnel as defined by job or unit, will complete TCCC recertification at least every 3 years following initial certification and within 12 months of deployment. For personnel who deploy more than once during a 12-month period, certification in TCCC remains current if completed within 12 months of the most recent deployment date. (DoDI 1322.24 Requirement)

Each squad, crew, or equivalent sized deployable unit must have at least one member certified as a Combat Lifesaver, trained to TCCC Tier 2 standards within 12 months prior to deployment. (AR 350-1)

CLS Initial and Recertification Training

Training on CLS skills using the current, standardized curriculums developed by the JTS, DHA at the appropriate interval (every three years) after a Service member or DoD-EC initially certifies in TCCC. (DoDI 1322.24 Requirement)

- Soldiers should review CLS course content prior to beginning the training which will be conducted over five days. (CLS TSP)
- Will follow, at a minimum, the course map from Deployed medicine and use the Training Support Package (TSP) located on the Central Army Registry (CAR) (CLS TSP)
- CLS examination from Deployed medicine is required. (DHA/JTS Requirement)
- Practical exercise and validation of skills is required. (CLS TSP)
- Recertification must be completed every 12 months. (AR 350-1)

CLS Refresher Training

CLS refresher courses are a supplement to CLS certification courses. CLS refresher courses are designed to ensure proficiency on TCCC skills and may be tailored to individual Service mission requirements. Completion of CLS refresher training does not certify a Service member in TCCC and will not be recorded as such in Service-designated training tracking systems. (DoDI 1322.24 Requirement)

- Soldiers should review CLS course content prior to beginning the refresher training which will be conducted over two days. (CLS TSP)
- Day one: training knowledge overview, and skills practice.
- Day two: practical exercise and skills validation.
- Practical exercise and validation of skills is required.
- Evaluation scenario(s) must be performed in a unit METL supported task and must evaluate all Tier 2 CLS critical tasks
- Refresher is valid for one year.