Posted: 6/8/2008 8:53:39 PM EDT
| Posting this for a friend who is headed to Iraq soon, as he can't post on this site where he is at. He's wondering what any of you who have gone over to Iraq or Afghanistan have carried with them a medkit used in self-aid/buddy care. Any items to include compression bandages, scissors, water purification, quik-clot, etc. Thank you very much. |
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CAT tourniquet H or Israeli Bandage 1 roll Kerlix 3" ACE wrap 1 nasopharyngeal airway w/ lube 2 14 ga or 10 ga catheters for needle decompression (if you're trained in their use) 2 asherman chest seals or other occlusive dressing trauma shears black sharpie nitrile exam gloves (fit them loosely-you'll be sweaty) The above will allow you to cover the ABCs. Even more important than having the right tools is having the right knowledge. Tell your friend to get with his line medics and get what training he can. See if he can have his medics link up with 18Ds from the local ODA wherever he is or even Ranger medics and get a quick class on TCCC trauma sequence for treating immediate life threats and running through the ABCDEs and prepping patients for evac. Medical training always gets ignored until somebody gets perforated, then it's the most important thing in the world. |
Listen to this.  very good advice
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Veritas, what unit are you in? All sound advice, but here's my two cents. TCCC should be known by his line medics, even if they are privates. His NCO's and PA should be teaching it to him. If all else fails, stop the bleading. Thats the most important thing your friend can do is to learn how to stop bleeding with different types of tourniquets, and ace wraps and kerlix. some people like qwik clot, but i myself haven't been super impressed with it. |
listen to this man, thats damn near exactly what i carry |
How can we get an IFAK (or two) if we're stuck in TDA/TRADOC units in CONUS? My next assignment is to Vienna, and there is a chance I'll be going downrange with the Germans, and I am going to need a lot of kit that I don't personally own, but that is going to be a PITA to get while far away from the flagpole. |
All the IFAKs that I got I received through RFI as far as I remember. I had a spare one back at home that somehow ended up in my bag o' misc gear. I would send you that one, but I don't have access to it. You could roll your own off the cav aid stuff probably, but I would try to get your supply guy to order one first. www.olive-drab.com/od_medical_ifak_postww2_ifak_army2005.php What I could find: NSN 6515-01-521-7976 Tourniquet, Combat Application 6510-01-492-2275 Bandage Kit, Elastic 6510-00-058-3047 Bandage Gauze 4-1/2” 100’s Pkg 6510-00-926-8883 Adhesive Tape Surg 2” 6’s Roll 6515-01-180-0467 Airway, Nasopharyngeal 6515-01-364-8553 Glove, Patient Exam 100’s Pkg (4) 6545-01-531-3647 Pouch, IFAK 6545-01-531-3147 Insert, IFAK (folding panels, cord attached) |
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Now that I think of it, I'm pretty sure I have one. I think I took a lot of the issued stuff out of it and replaced it with stuff that made more sense, but I'm not sure. If I can find it, I guess I would part with it if you can't find another one. LOL but here is a link to where your friend can buy one. http://www.entrygear.com/list.asp?listtype=cat&cat=292 I just googled "ifak for sale" and I found a lot of sites. I would think your friend has another molle pouch - he should be able to go to his medics and get the rest of the stuff. I would also recommend he get some good trauma shears. |
Thanks for the info! I am in the USASD (US Army Student Detachment) . . . so even if "we" have a supply clerk, he/she isn't mine to request ANYTHING from (plus the fact that FT Jackson is a LONG WAY away from where I am). I will still be owned by USASD when I go overseas, so maybe I'll write a nice little request when I PCS, but I doubt that I'll get anything from them. |