Combat Lifesavers Course trains servicemembers for deployment Published Jan. 28, 2011 By Spc. Crystal Hudson 72nd Field Artillery Brigade JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- Darkness, screaming and blood filled the room as a squad of Air Force and Coast Guard servicemembers stormed a scene filled with obstacles and casualties. As the group rushes into the room in a tactical formation, they are greeted by flashing lights and ear-piercing noise coming from all directions. Luckily this was only a training exercise to test their skills during a recent Combat Lifesaver course at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. The course is not what many servicemembers who have gone through the course before may remember. It has evolved from the lessons learned in Iraq and Afghanistan. "CLS has changed a lot," said Sgt. 1st Class Micah Welintukonis, a CLS course instructor. "It has evolved into tactical combat casualty care". One of the most notable changes is the removal of the intravenous portion of the course, said Welintukonis. The top preventable injuries in today's combat operations don't require an IV to be the most effective. "It is separated into three phases: care under fire, tactical field care and casualty evacuation", said Welintukonis. But no matter what phase, the CLS instructors here have one goal for their students that are deploying. "To not get killed," said Welintukonis, urging that students understand the most common ways to save a buddy's life in a combat zone. He takes his job seriously. Welintukonis continually yelled "incoming" to simulate incoming artillery rounds while students frantically evaluated what to do during the tactical exercise. The instructors use tough love to help their students learn how to become competent combat lifesavers. "Do not walk over your casualty," screamed Welintukonis as students scrambled to treat their simulated casualties. "Do not fall on your casualty! You need a litter. Do we ever cover up a tourniquet?" The instructors keep the training as real as they can so students know the fear and stress that may be present when faced with a real casualty. "Students actually get stressed out running through a scenario, where the casualties are bleeding," said Army Sgt. Korianno McNeal, a CLS instructor. "Just seeing that could be a little hectic." Combat experience is one thing that sets the training at Dix apart from other locations. "I feel the military brings a focus on combat training," said McNeal, a combat medic turned CLS instructor, who has been teaching here for roughly a year and a half. The most important skill McNeal wants his students to have is bleeding control. "Blood loss is the number one cause of preventable deaths on the battlefield," he said. The second and third preventable killers are internal bleeding in the torso and airway problems, said Welintukonis. All of the instructors agree that the most preventable causes of death are the focus of the course. "If we can teach them how to treat all three effectively, we can save up to 14-15 percent of preventable deaths," said Welintukonis. The CLS instructors teach 200 to 400 students a month from all of the military services. "At one point, you can have all of them coming in at the same time," said Welintukonis. "Their tactical knowledge varies greatly." All five services find a way to reach a common ground during the CLS course despite their many differences. "It is not too difficult considering they have one common focus and it is to assess the treatment of casualties," said McNeal. "Although they do have different backgrounds, they work together very efficiently." Air Force Staff Sgt. Mitch Waddell, a student in the course, was training in preparation for his third deployment. Even with experience from other CLS courses during his military career, Waddell found this course helpful. "You are truly performing under pressure," said Waddell, who played a casualty during the fourth and final day of training. "That stress was one thing that made the training so effective," said Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Cody McCoy. "This is good hands on training."