AUSTERE MEDICAL COURSE - Austere Medicine & CASEVAC Operations. October 31st, November 1st and 2nd

Location: Panthera Training Facility – Old Fields, West Virginia

Duration: 3 Days

Audience: Medical professionals, first responders, military, law enforcement, and prepared civilians

Format: Friday classroom instruction, Saturday and Sunday full-scale field exercises including day and night operations

Course Overview

This intensive three-day program is designed to prepare participants to provide lifesaving medical care in remote, resource-limited, or high-threat environments. Combining classroom instruction with immersive field exercises, the course emphasizes Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) principles and their adaptation to austere conditions.

Participants will learn to prioritize care under operational constraints, manage complex injuries, and sustain patients during prolonged field care scenarios.

Basic knowledge of small unit tactics, land navigation, patrolling, and communications/radios will be helpful for participants but is not required to attend this course.

Training Schedule

Day 1 – Friday: Classroom & Foundational Skills (Evening is off – no training session)

• Introduction to Austere Medicine
  
• Definition and scope
• Differences from conventional medical care
• Mission priorities: safety, casualty care, operational continuity
• Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) Overview
  
• Care Under Fire (CUF)
• Tactical Field Care (TFC)
• Tactical Evacuation Care (TACEVAC)
• MARCH-E Algorithm in Austere Settings
  
• Massive Hemorrhage: tourniquets, hemostatic agents, wound packing, improvised solutions
• Airway: basic and advanced management
• Respiration: chest seals, needle decompression, tension pneumothorax management
• Circulation: IV/IO access, fluid resuscitation, shock recognition
• Hypothermia prevention
• Evacuation planning and prolonged care considerations
• CASEVAC Platforms for Civilians
  
• Selecting an appropriate CASEVAC platform in non-military environments
• Terrain, distance, and resource considerations
• Providing care inside various platforms (trucks, UTVs, watercraft, improvised systems)
• Hands-On Skills Labs:
  
• Tourniquet application and wound packing
• Airway management (NPA,) 
• Chest seal application.
• IV/IO insertion and fluid administration (instructor demonstration )
• Improvised splinting and patient packaging
• Litter and casualty evacuation drills. 

Day 2 – Saturday: Daylight Field Exercise (Night: Field training and sleeping outside) 

• Care Under Fire scenarios
• Tactical Field Care in resource-limited settings
• Improvised tools and field-expedient medical solutions
• Establishing and operating a Casualty Collection Point (CCP)
• Extended monitoring and prolonged field care practices
• Pain control, infection prevention, hydration, and nutrition in austere conditions
• Communication drills including 9-Line MEDEVAC and telemedicine options
• CASEVAC drills using civilian-accessible platforms

Day 2 Night – Night Operations Exercise & Field Sleep

• Low-light and no-light casualty care
• Navigation and casualty location under limited visibility
• Nighttime airway, hemorrhage control, and evacuation drills
• Stress inoculation with environmental and operational challenges
• Overnight outdoor bivouac simulating extended care in the field

Day 3 – Sunday: Full Mission Profile

• Multi-casualty incidents with varied injury patterns
• Field triage and resource allocation under pressure
• Evacuation planning under dynamic conditions
• Full integration of CASEVAC platform selection and in-transit care
• Final integrated scenario: point of injury through prolonged care to evacuation
• Team debrief and after-action review
• Lessons learned and performance feedback
• Optional certification: TCCC, Stop the Bleed, Austere Medicine Completion

Key Learning Objectives:

• Apply TCCC and MARCH-E principles in austere environments
• Adapt standard medical interventions with improvised solutions
• Manage prolonged casualty care when evacuation is delayed
• Operate effectively during day and night under realistic conditions
• Select and work within civilian CASEVAC platforms
• Understand the role of land navigation, patrolling, and communications in casualty care and evacuation

Required Gear

Medical Equipment (Students may bring their own or use course-provided gear)

• Individual First Aid Kit (IFAK) with at minimum:
  
• Tourniquet (CAT, SOFT-T, or equivalent)
• Hemostatic gauze
• Compressed gauze / wound packing material
• Pressure dressing (Israeli or equivalent)
• NPA (nasopharyngeal airway) with lubricant
• Chest seals (2 minimum)
• Emergency mylar blanket or hypothermia wrap
• Eye protection (clear and tinted lenses)
• Nitrile gloves (minimum 4 pairs)

FOOT WEAR AND CLOTHING

• Sturdy hiking or duty boots (broken in)
• Weather-appropriate field uniform (long sleeves recommended)
• Extra socks (minimum 3 pairs)
• Rain jacket or shell
• Insulating layer for night operations (fleece, puffy jacket, etc.)
• Durable pants (tactical or outdoor-grade)
• Hat or cap for sun protection
• Gloves (mechanic/tactical style for patient handling)

Overnight & Field Sleep Gear (Saturday night bivouac)

• Sleeping bag (rated to expected overnight temps)
• Sleeping pad or ground mat
• Bivy sack or small tent/tarp shelter
• Headlamp with red light setting + spare batteries
• Poncho or waterproof ground cover

Load-Carrying & Field Gear

• Small rucksack or assault pack for daily gear
• Water source: hydration bladder (2–3L) or canteens
• Mess kit / small utensil set
• Field snacks / energy food (MREs, protein bars, etc.)
• Notebook and pen/pencil
• Watch with timekeeping capability

Navigation & Communication (If available – not required)

• Map of Panthera training area (provided on site)
• Lensatic or baseplate compass
• Personal radio (Baofeng, Motorola, etc.) with spare battery
• Ear protection (if bringing radios with loud alerts)

Tactical & Night Operations Gear (not required, but recommended) rentals available.

• Night vision device (PVS-14, binocular NODs, etc.) with helmet or head mount
• Weapon system (rifle or carbine) with sling – no live fire will take place, weapon will be used for movement, sling management, and casualty scenarios
• White light and IR illuminator/laser (if available) for night navigation
• Extra weapon-mounted light batteries

Optional / Recommended Gear

• Knee pads for extended kneeling during patient care
• Multi-tool or folding knife
• Small tarp or ground cloth for patient staging
• Baby wipes / hygiene kit
• Extra clothing set for Sunday
• Camp stove or jet boil (if you prefer hot food/drinks in the field)
• Hand warmers or chemical heat packs (season dependent)

Items Provided by Instructors

• Training medical equipment for practical exercises (extra tourniquets, manikins, airway trainers, wound simulators)
• CASEVAC platforms and litters
• Maps for land navigation exercises
• Scenario props and simulation gear