New combat medic training manual named 'Hot Product'

By Fort Sam Houston Public Affairs OfficeJune 25, 2009

Combat Medic Book Cover
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas -- The U.S. Army Medical Department's recently published "68W Advanced Field Craft: Combat Medic Skills," was named a "Hot Product" at the 27th Annual EMS Today Conference and Exposition, hosted by the Journal of Emergency Medical Services.

The text placed in the top 30 of tens of thousands of EMS products submitted according to Alisha Weisman, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, textbook publisher. "Hot Products" are granted distinction and selected for being innovative, functional, potentially life-saving, and offering remarkable improvements to patient care and provider performance she said.

"This book ultimately contributes to saving lives on the battlefield. The authors worked in the field and understand the imperatives that exist in insecure situations," said editor-in-chief Casey Bond. "Their dedication is visibly manifest in (an approximately) 92 percent save rate in current conflicts."

"This book covers those items that the medic must know to provide care that will make a difference on the battlefield, in disasters, and in austere environments. The goal of the medic is to bring back a patient and not a victim. This book assists in that endeavor," said Lt. Col. Paul Mayer, director of combat medic training at Fort Sam Houston.

The Army Combat Medic Today is highly trained and technically advanced requiring a sophisticated teaching and learning system. Known by their military occupational specialty Sixty-eight Whiskey or 68W, their primary role is to provide medical treatment to wounded Soldiers.

Crucial to Army combat functionality, every squad is required to have a "Whiskey" in attendance during hazardous missions. Whiskeys initiate medical treatment on location, maintain medical treatment during evacuation, and provide treatment in medical facilities.

Prior to this reference book, 68W students were handed a stack of Xeroxes containing only outlines of lecture material that lacked anatomy and physiology illustrations, and had few explanations of treatment modalities.

Developed by the Department of Combat Medic Training instructors, the book includes drills, vocabulary, field medicine tips, and interactive case studies giving 68W students solid academic reference material.

The "68W Advanced Field Craft: Combat Medic Skills" textbook is the first of this type of publication combining complete medical content with features to support instructors and students said Weisman.