Page 146 - Journal of Special Operations Medicine - Winter 2016

Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care

7–8 September 2016

Meeting Highlights

Dr Frank Butler; Dr Stephen Giebner

he Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care Annual TCCC Award:
T(TCCC) conducted a meeting on 7–8 September at Col Stacy Shackelford and COL (Ret) Rocky Farr
the Atlanta Airport Westin, Atlanta, Georgia. The two The annual TCCC Award for 2016 honoring the indi-
major changes to the TCCC Guidelines discussed at the vidual who has made the most notable contributions to
meeting were the use of pelvic binders and a compila- the advancement and use of TCCC was awarded for the
tion of needed tactical or editorial modifications to the first time to two individuals who finished in a tie in the
guidelines. There were several presentations describing voting: COL (Ret) Rocky Farr and Col Stacy Shackel-
the extensive use of TCCC concepts in various Depart- ford. The nominations for these two exceptional and
ment of Homeland Security and Department of Justice very deserving individuals are given here:
agencies, and by law enforcement tactical emergency
medical support units. COL (Ret) Rocky Farr
COL Rocky Farr has been a member of the CoTCCC
Dr Butler noted the use of TCCC concepts and experi- since 2006. In his role as the US Army Special Operations
ence in crafting the Bleeding Control course that is being Command Surgeon, he spearheaded the initial US Special
used as the signature training course for the Hartford Operations Command (USSOCOM)-directed implemen-
Consensus and White House Stop the Bleed programs. tation of TCCC concepts throughout the 35,000-person
His review of current TCCC issues highlighted the need US Army Special Operations Command organization. In
for a TCCC Equipment Rapid Fielding Initiative to en- particular, he helped facilitate the incorporation of TCCC
sure that Corpsmen, Medics, and Pararescuemen (PJs) into the Army’s premier Combat medic schoolhouse, the
are supplied with newly recommended TCCC equip- Joint Special Operations Medical Training Center.
ment and the training to use it before deploying in sup-
port of combat operations. He also noted the need to COL Farr was a key participant in two projects that
standardize basic TCCC training in the Department of were largely responsible for the successful transition of
Defense using the Joint Trauma System (JTS)-developed TCCC into use throughout the US Military. He helped
TCCC curricula for medical personnel or for all com- perform the 2004 review of the first 82 Special Opera-
batants, as posted on multiple websites. The National tions fatalities in Afghanistan and Iraq. Using autopsy
Association of Emergency Medical Technicians can pro- data from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner’s office,
vide these courses to military units that need them. these fatalities were carefully reviewed to identify poten-
tially preventable deaths. The findings were published in
TCCC Special Award: Dr John Kragh Annals of Surgery in 2007 and highlighted the impor-
Dr John Kragh of the US Army Institute of Surgical Re- tance of basic TCCC interventions and the need to train
search was honored with a TCCC Special Award for all members of Combat units in TCCC. COL Farr’s lead-
his landmark research on the use of tourniquets. His ership and skills as a forensic pathologist were critical to
work has proven the lifesaving benefit and low risk of the success of this effort. He also helped secure funding
extremity tourniquets applied for short periods of time. for the 2005–2006 TCCC Transition Initiative executed
As noted by Dr Butler, “Without Dr Kragh’s work, we to correct TCCC training and equipment deficiencies in
would still be debating about whether or not to use deploying Special Operations units and to establish the
tourniquets, rather than how best to use them.” first formal TCCC feedback mechanism.

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