Page 156 - Journal of Special Operations Medicine - Summer 2015

Using a combat rubber raiding craft to evacuate a casualty can be challenging, so this kind of training is constant in the
Portuguese Marines.

as stealthily as they arrive, so much evacuation training is
made in these small boats, unless there are critical wounds
that need immediate evacuation by helicopter.

Conclusion
Portuguese Marines give special relevance to casualty care,
as do other Special Operation Forces worldwide. Saving
lives is a priority, not only in war but also in peacetime.
Tactical Combat Casualty Care is one more important skill
in the demanding life of a Fuzileiro.

Keywords: Fuzileiros Portugueses; Portuguese Marines

Dr Ferreira is a doctor of dental surgery and a paramedic with
While teammates provide cover fire, a wounded Marine self- extensive experience in remote medicine. He is an American citizen
applies a tourniquet to control arterial bleeding. and has lived in Portugal for several years. He is also specialized
in Advanced Tactical Casualty Care and has collaborated several
without many of the luxuries of some other countries, times with the Portuguese Armed Forces, especially the Navy
so the Armed Services have to adapt to what is available. Special Forces. Another passion of his is military photography,
so he embeds regularly with the military and publishes articles
There are helicopters on the Portuguese frigates, but the with unique photographs in his own online tactical magazine, The
Fuzileiros like stealth, so most insertions are made by Way of the Warrior(s) (www.warriors.pt). E-mail: bryan ferreira@
combat rubber raiding craft. The Fuzileiros like to leave gmail.com.

146 Journal of Special Operations Medicine Volume 15, Edition 2/Summer 2015