LIMASSOL, Cyprus — A team of U.S. Navy corpsmen recently completed a week-long mission training 25 Cypriot military personnel in Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC), a vital component of combat medical readiness. The mission, held from May 5–9, 2025, aimed to enhance allied interoperability and ensure lifesaving skills are in place where they matter most—on the battlefield.

The three-person U.S. Navy team conducted Tier 2 Combat Lifesaver (CLS) training using Department of Defense-approved Deployed Medicine curriculum, reinforced with Staff Education and Assessment Tools (SEAT). Hosted in Limassol, the course combined academic instruction with high-fidelity simulation, culminating in a demanding field exercise that tested students’ ability to provide care under fire.


Leading the training was Hospital Corpsman First Class (HM1) Tyler Whitt, an Independent Duty Corpsman and Directorate Leading Petty Officer at Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Rota.

“It was a great opportunity and very rewarding teaching TCCC CLS to the Cyprus military,” said Whitt. “It provided a chance to strengthen our partnership through the shared goal of improving battlefield medical readiness. The Cyprus service members were highly committed to advancing their life-saving capabilities and learning different approaches to combat medicine.”

Throughout the course, Cypriot personnel learned essential trauma care skills, including hemorrhage control using tourniquets and wound packing, airway management, and casualty evacuation under hostile conditions. The final exercise simulated the chaos of combat, incorporating physical exertion, smoke, and simulated gunfire to mimic real-world stressors.

Hospital Corpsman Third Class (HM3) Joshua Rinehart, assigned to NMRTC Sigonella supported instruction and practical drills.

“We emphasized practical, hands-on training to make sure the students could perform these skills under stress,” said Rinehart. “Using the SEAT gear and tactical drills helped solidify their knowledge and build real confidence.”

Of the 25 trainees, 24 successfully met the rigorous standards to earn CLS certification.

TCCC CLS training is critical across the modern battlespace, especially in remote or contested environments where immediate care by non-medical personnel can mean the difference between life and death. By empowering allies with these lifesaving skills, the Navy helps build partner capacity, enhance coalition response capability, and advance the readiness objectives of U.S. military medicine.

This mission supports the Navy’s broader goal of delivering forward-deployed medical training that strengthens interoperability with NATO and regional allies.

U.S. NMRTC Sigonella provides operational medical support to U.S. and NATO forces, delivering high-quality healthcare and professional training to meet the needs of warfighters and their families. NMRTC Sigonella actively supports regional and global medical missions, ensuring medical readiness and fostering cooperation with allied nations.