Page 4 - PJ MED OPS Handbook 8th Ed Preview

PREFACE – This eigth edition of the Pararescue (PJ) Medical Operations Handbook (HB) is a refine-
ment of the seventh edition which reflected the evolution of PJ Medicine (PJ MED) over the past
half century, the Global War on Terror, other Overseas Contingency Operations (GWOT/OCO), and
progressive civil search and rescue (SAR) missions. PJs have distinguished themselves in combat,
civil SAR, and humanitarian assistance (HA) operations, and proved time and again the vital and
unique role served in the Department of Defense.

The guidelines reflect the advanced knowledge and skills required to treat injured or ill patients in
all circumstances to include remote, austere and non-permissive environments.

There are several factors that define PJ MED and make it unique. PJ MED is comprised of the
following:
• National Registry Paramedic Certification
• Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC)
• United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) Advanced Tactical Paramedic (ATP)
Guidelines including trauma and medical protocols
• Dive Medicine
• Wilderness and Environmental Medicine (e.g., high altitude, extreme weather, maritime op-
erations, etc.)
• Fixed-Wing (FW) and Rotary-Wing (RW) in-flight medical care
• Expertise in the management of disasters and Mass Casualty Incidents (MCI)
• Prolonged Field Care including basic critical care
• Rescue medicine associated with technical rescues

PJs are the only asset routinely trained to provide care during all three phases of TCCC: care under
fire, tactical field care (TFC), and tactical evacuation (TACEVAC).
Since participating in Operation Enduring Freedom as dedicated TACEVAC assets, PJs have devel-
oped more expertise than ever before with the RW movement and care of critically injured patients
after retrieving them from the point of injury (POI), resulting in increased sophistication of medical
protocols and procedures. The robust nature of rotary wing tactical evacuation led to the expansion
of helicopter specific medical operations.

Other operations have led to the development of more robust Prolonged Field Care guidelines (PFC)
which are now also included in the HB.

Additional sections including the MTPs (Medical and Trauma Protocols) and palliative care for
unique situations in prolonged care and recovery operations have also been added.

Finally, PJ expertise in MCI, and observations from domestic mass shootings and bombings, has led
to an expansion of the PJ MCI protocol section.

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