An ANA brigade surgeon supervises the application of
the "Kandahar Tourniquet" during a first aid
refresher training class.
Posted on 08/19/2008 6:58:18 AM PDT by Clive
Kandahar tourniquet developed to save lives
Monday, August 18, 2008
Project Number:08-0556
Kandahar, Afghanistan – Afghan soldiers can now save lives thanks to a medical prototype developed by Coalition forces. The Kandahar tourniquet, created for the Afghan National Army (ANA), will improve the survival rate of soldiers suffering serious injuries and massive hemorrhage.
Imagine a dismounted infantry company mentoring team moving through a village in the Zhari District of Afghanistan. The team is weighed down with weapons, ammunition, radios, night vision devices and personal protective equipment. Every soldier is trained to deliver tactical combat casualty care and is equipped with advanced wound dressings, haemostatic agents and tourniquets. Medical technicians and physician assistants accompany them in support. Back at camp is the most capable surgical facility the Canadian Military Medical Service has fielded in its one hundred and four years´ history.
Now, imagine a soldier of a new army finding himself in the same battle space, armed with little more than a new C-7 rifle and the desire to make his country a safer place for his family.
Three deaths
In one incident, three Afghan soldiers succumbed to their injuries because their platoon mates lacked the training and equipment to control life threatening bleeding. In response, the Operational Mentoring Liaison Team (OMLT) medical staff took action to revise the Afghan National Army´s (ANA) first aid refresher training program.
A comprehensive plan was developed to advance the use of tourniquets within the First Brigade of the Afghan National Army´s 205 Corps. A tourniquet is an easily applied, relatively uncomplicated piece of equipment requiring minimal training to use effectively.
Coalition invention
The Kandahar tourniquet, developed with technical advice from both a parachute rigger and a materials technician, is two loops sewn into a length of nylon webbing. It is coupled with one C-7 rifle cleaning rod section serving as the windlass. The design can be easily replicated by local manufacturers using readily available materials.
The manufacturing job, which involves some sewing and assembly tasks, has created employment opportunities for women in Kandahar Province.
The initial production run of 100 tourniquets will be used in Kandak´s refresher-training program. Following this, a full production run of 4000 Kandahar tourniquets will be produced. This allotment will see one tourniquet issued to every NCM and officer in the First Brigade as they participate in their operational refresher course.
The training program will also include incident scene management, casualty collection point establishment, casualty triage and helicopter landing sites selection and security.
Article by Capt Mike McBride, Health Services Support Mentor, Kandak 5-1, Operational Mentoring Liaison Team, Task Force 1-08
An ANA brigade surgeon supervises the application of
the "Kandahar Tourniquet" during a first aid
refresher training class.
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BTTT
It’s good that they are teaching these techniques to the ANA, and providing the means...it’s only right...since our own soldiers all carry tourniquets, that the Afghan Army soldiers should have them as well...just one more step toward a self-sufficient Afghanistan.
So do Canadian Forces and other NATO forces. See exg's Reply 8.
The problem is that the ANA is very badly equipped. The article does not overstate the case with this sentence:
"Now, imagine a soldier of a new army finding himself in the same battle space, armed with little more than a new C-7 rifle and the desire to make his country a safer place for his family."
The hypothetical ANA soldier in the above sentence is fortunate to be armed with a Canadian C7 instead of a knock-off or Warsaw Pact AK47 many of his compatriots are not so fortunate.
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