Photo By Senior Airman Mark Colmenares | U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Darius Wilson, 386th Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation...... read more read more
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“Aahh!” You hear someone call out for help. You rush to the scene and are asked for a tourniquet. Precious moments slip by as you scan the room, only to realize—you’re not sure where the trauma bag is or even how to apply a tourniquet.
That moment of hesitation is exactly what the 386th Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron aims to prevent during a Tactical Combat Casualty Care familiarization event held at the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, June 1, 2025. The event was designed to increase awareness and hands-on experience with Joint First Aid Kits, trauma bag contents and casualty response procedures.
“We’re allowing people to get hands-on training, take their time with the equipment and learn what’s available to them in case of an emergency,” said U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Samantha Jones, 386th EAES senior enlisted leader, who helped lead the training event. “It’s all about building familiarity and confidence before someone is put in a high-stress situation.”
The Air Force requires members to certify in TCCC every three years and also within 12 months of deployment. With long gaps between training sessions, events like this help reinforce lifesaving skills and increase familiarity with medical equipment.
During the training, participants cycled through the hands-on station. Attendees practiced opening and identifying items in JFAKs, assembling litter kits and reviewing a list of trauma bag locations across base facilities such as the fitness center or dining facility.
“In medicine, we have this thing called the ‘golden hour,’” said Tech Sgt. Darius Wilson, 386th EAES aerospace medical technician. “If people can get to you and start helping within an hour of the injury, you have a good chance of making it—that’s why knowing where equipment is and how to use it matters.”
Wilson emphasized that beyond equipment recognition, the event also introduced non-medical personnel to emergency contact procedures and reinforced their role in initial response.
“Everyone is issued JFAKs,” Wilson said. “If people are trained on what’s inside, they can start initial care while we respond. Even basic action makes a difference.”
For Tech. Sgt. Michael Campanella, 386th Air Expeditionary Wing A4 NCO in charge of maintenance management and a participant in the event, the training offered both a refresher and a new layer of confidence.
“I was notified earlier this week and came to check it out,” Campanella said. “The litter cart was fun to put together—definitely takes some muscle, and just seeing all the JFAK components again was useful. It’s about making sure we’re ready to take care of each other if something goes down.”
| Date Taken: | 06.01.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.12.2025 03:27 |
| Story ID: | 500396 |
| Location: | (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION) |
| Web Views: | 32 |
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This work, Know your kit: TCCC familiarization training at the 386th AEW, by SrA Mark Colmenares, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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