CAMP BELVEDERE, Kosovo — In the event of an emergency, first aid training can be vital. For those who are first to respond, it can mean the difference between life and death.
To strengthen preparedness, soldiers from Kosovo Forces Regional Command-East (KFOR RC-E) Task Force Medical recently provided Kosovo Police (KP) with a 40-hour U.S. Army’s Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) course to earn their Combat Life Saver (CLS) certification at Camp Belvedere, Kosovo, on Aug. 1.
KFOR RC-E is part of a NATO-led peacekeeping mission committed to maintaining a safe and secure environment and ensuring freedom of movement for all people in Kosovo. While TCCC training is designed for military personnel, it is highly applicable to civilian emergency responders operating in unpredictable environments.
“It was a fun experience knowing how to react in a combat zone,” said Kosovo Police Officer Enis Azemi. “Even though we are not in the military, you never know if any of this could happen to one of us as well.”
The U.S. Army’s TCCC training is a foundational component of combat medical readiness. It emphasizes evidence-based, field-tested procedures to stabilize patients under fire and during evacuation.
“It means a lot to be able to provide them with the resources and knowledge to respond and potentially save their partner's life,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Kinsey Briceño, a health care specialist and the lead instructor for the course. “They improved each day more and more.”
Throughout the training, 15 KP officers learned how to apply tourniquets, use chest seals, bandage wounds, open airways, organize CLS medical kits, and perform needle decompressions, all lifesaving techniques commonly used in combat and trauma scenarios. All participants successfully earned their CLS certification.
“It was a great experience and we learn a lot from it,” said Azemi. “I look forward to coming to another training.”
Azemi, and also the TCCC honor graduate, went to college for nursing before becoming a member of the KP this past year, and this training was an opportunity to apply medical skills in a real-world setting.
Collaborative training efforts like this not only improve tactical medical readiness but also strengthen the working relationship between NATO forces and local security institutions, a critical element in promoting long-term stability in the region.
| Date Taken: | 08.04.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.07.2025 08:18 |
| Story ID: | 544999 |
| Location: | ZZ |
| Web Views: | 38 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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