Staff Sgt. Christopher Gonzales and Sgt. John Parmer, members of the California National Guard Counterdrug Task Force ground tactical team, treat a head wound during the practical exercise portion of the Combat Lifesaver course Jan. 25 in Sacramento....

Sgt. John Parmer, a member of the California National Guard Counterdrug Task Force ground tactical team, treats a burn wound during the practical exercise portion of the Combat Lifesaver course Jan. 25 in Sacramento. 22 members of the task force comp...

Sgt. Willie Holmes, a member of the California National Guard Counterdrug Task Force ground tactical team, treats a wound during the practical exercise portion of the Combat Lifesaver course Jan. 25 in Sacramento. 22 members of the task force complet...

Spc. Shawn Lovato, a member of the California National Guard Counterdrug Task Force ground tactical team, looks for additional injuries during the practical exercise portion of the Combat Lifesaver course Jan. 25, 2017 in Sacramento. 22 members of th...

Sgt. Willie Holmes, a member of the California National Guard Counterdrug Task Force ground tactical team, treats a wound during the practical exercise portion of the Combat Lifesaver course Jan. 25, 2017 in Sacramento. 22 members of the task force c...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Twenty-two members of the California National Guard Counterdrug Task Force completed a two-day Combat Lifesaver course held Jan. 24-25 in Sacramento.

The course, which was taught by Army Medic and CLS Instructor Staff Sgt. Devin Long, consisted of classroom instruction on controlling hemorrhages opening and maintaining an airway, treating wounds and respiratory distress, and recognizing symptoms of shock.

The training culminated in a hands-on practical exercise utilizing mannequins and moulage kits that simulated situations the task force members could possibly encounter in the field.

"The mannequins actually made it more realistic," Sgt. Kathy Tanson, a member of the ground tactical team, said. "It's good training. I feel confident that I would be able to stabilize someone if they got injured."

Long said CLS training is important because every Soldier and Airmen who goes on mission "puts their life in potential danger" so they need to have the skills to treat life threatening injuries.

"We do operate in some pretty robust terrain and some pretty dangerous areas," Long said. "So we need to have people who are trained in trauma and combat first aid."

The ground tactical team conducts the majority of their missions in remote, mountainous and densely wooded areas.

"It could be several minutes to an hour or two before we can get personnel to a civilian hospital, so it's good to have that medical intervention in the interim," Staff Sgt. Cari

Snyder, an Air Force medic and CDTF case support analyst, said.

Most of the Soldiers and Airmen have taken the CLS classes before, so Long said this was an accelerated course. "CLS is a perishable skill though, so continually practicing and using it is how we get better," he said.