Originally Posted By: Arney


Boston does make me wonder, though--if someone decides to go to the trouble of packing a tourniquet, how many to pack? If gunshots are the primary risk envisioned, then one tourniquet is likely sufficient for a first aid or "blow out" kit. But if you're worrying about blast injuries, seems like having more than one might be prudent. The Army IFAK contains one tourniquet, but in actual use, I wonder how times a soldier ends up needing more than one?

When I was deployed in 2011, we were required to have a TQ on us at all times, in our upper RT shoulder pocket, red tab facing out. The division surgeon also tried to make us carry quick-clot in a leg pocket, but I think that the battalion and brigade surgeons managed to talk her out of it.

It was fairly common to see the red tab with ALL US troops. So, when you figure each soldier outside the wire has his/her IFAK and another TQ on the shoulder ... I'd say nearly everyone had 2 of them. Most of the medics I had only had a few in their bag, figuring that everyone couldn't need one at the same time. If there was a triple or quad amputee, they could pilfer TQ's from his buddies.


Edited by MDinana (04/27/13 11:48 PM)