Tactical Combat Casualty Care is broken up into 4 roles of care.
- The most basic is taught to All Service Members (ASM), which is the absolute basics of hemorrhage control and basic recognition of more serious problems.
- The Combat Lifesaver (CLS) is taught more advanced skills needed to treat the most common causes of death on the battlefield, which are massive hemorrhage and airway/respiratory problems. In addition, the CLS is given the knowledge and skills to identify and prevent complications and treat other associated but not immediately life-threatening injuries.
- The Combat Medic/Corpsman is the first medical provider to care for the casualty in the prehospital environment and is expected to provide more advanced care requiring significantly more medical knowledge and skills.
- The most advanced role is the combat paramedics/advanced providers, who are expected to provide the most sophisticated care to keep our wounded warriors alive and get them to definitive care.
It is important that the Combat Medic/Corpsman understand the roles and responsibilities of the nonmedical personnel (ASM and CLS) that may be providing care/assisting in care in the prehospital environment.