Oak Harbor Navy medical staff train to deliver lifesaving care in combat environments

OAK HARBOR, WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES

01.21.2026

Story by Matthew Williams 

Naval Health Clinic Oak Harbor

OAK HARBOR, Wash. — Medical personnel at Navy Medicine Readiness and Training
Command Oak Harbor(NMRTCOH) recently completed training associated with
advanced Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) training aimed at strengthening both
day-to-day patient care and readiness for potential operational deployments.
According to Chief Hospital Corpsman Michael Gantar, a search and rescue (SAR)
medical technician and program administrator for the TCCC course, the training focused
on Tier 3 TCCC, a requirement for Navy corpsmen that prepares them to deliver
lifesaving care in combat environments. The training was conducted by SAR medical
personnel who work at Naval Health Clinic Oak Harbor (NHCOH).
“The point of the training was part of the larger effort to get our in-house corpsmen
trained up to Tier 3 to meet the requirement of the Navy’s Bureau of Medicine and
Surgery,” Gantar said. “We receive a lot of new corpsmen straight from school who
haven’t completed that level yet, so this helps close that gap.”
Tier 3 TCCC training goes beyond basic lifesaving skills and emphasizes prolonged
field care, hemorrhage control, airway management, and decision-making under stress.
While clinic staff primarily support beneficiary care, Gantar said the training ensures
they remain prepared for large-scale combat operations if needed. By working in the
clinic, corpsmen learn valuable skills, including patient assessments and hands-on
medical care, that they can apply in operational settings.
“Yes, they’re here treating beneficiaries and keeping families healthy,” Gantar
explained. “But at the same time, it’s our responsibility to train for the operational
mission as well.”
The instruction was led by certified Tier 3 instructors already assigned to the region,
including medical personnel who split time between operational search and rescue units
and the clinic. According to Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Stephanie Grow, NHCOH’s
training site administrator for the TCCC courses, using in-house instructors helps
ensure consistency while maintaining high standards set by Navy Medicine and the
Defense Health Agency.
“We spent almost a year structuring the program to meet all requirements,” Grow said.
“We followed the guidance exactly to make sure everything aligned.”
Courses are scheduled monthly and listed in the Navy’s training management
systems, making them accessible to service members across the Pacific Northwest.
While the clinic does not manage regional training compliance, it serves as one of
several assets available to commands across the region seeking to qualify their
personnel.
“Our job is to make sure students leave confident in their skills,” Gandar said. “When
something does happen, they need to be able to perform and save lives.”
TCCC training follows three core objectives: saving lives, preventing further
casualties, and completing the mission. Grow said instructors are responsible for
ensuring students understand and can apply those priorities under pressure.
The clinic also offers Tier 1 TCCC training, and supports a “train-the-trainer” model for
Tier 1 TCCC, expanding access to foundational lifesaving skills across the installation.
Tier 1 training is required for all service members and focuses on immediate actions that
can preserve life before advanced medical care is available.
“Tier 1 TCCC is a requirement for every service member,” Gantar said. “It ensures that
no matter where someone is assigned or what their job is, they have the baseline
knowledge to act in an emergency.”
Under the model, qualified personnel are trained to become Tier 1 instructors,
allowing units to sustain training internally without relying solely on medical staff.
According to Grow, this approach increases readiness, reduces bottlenecks, and
ensures critical skills remain current across the force.
“By training the trainers, we’re able to meet the requirements more efficiently and
reach more people,” Grow said. “The goal is to make sure these lifesaving skills are
widespread and immediately available when they’re needed most.”
Personnel interested in enrolling in TCCC courses have multiple options depending
on their command affiliation. Staff assigned to NMRTC Oak Harbor can register directly
through the clinic’s internal online booking system, which is accessible via the SEAT
TCCC Program SharePoint page, according to Grow.
“The direct contact information is my office phone number [[phone]] and the
SEAT distribution list,” Grow said. “For our staff here, [the online portal] is the fastest
way to sign up.”
Personnel outside of NMRTC Oak Harbor enroll through the Navy’s Catalog of
Nonresident Training Courses, or CANTRAC. Service members can search for “TCCC”
and locate the appropriate course using designated training identification codes,
including Tier 3 (CIN: B-300-2030; CDP: 31RL), Tier 3 Instructor (CIN: B-300-2070;
CDP: 32JN), and Tier 1 (CIN: B-300-2010; CDP: 32JM).
“Once they find the course, they can see our schedule from anywhere as long as they
have a CAC reader,” Grow said. “From there, they can contact the SEAT distro or reach
out to me directly, and I can help get them enrolled.”
“We want to make this accessible,” Grow said. “If someone needs the training, we’ll
help them get it; this is how we save lives and enhance mission readiness.”

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• Date Taken: 01.21.2026
• Date Posted: 03.06.2026 17:02
• Story ID: 559590
• Location: OAK HARBOR, WASHINGTON, US