What medical training does AFU have: first aid, TCCC and survival
Medical training, first aid, TCCC and survival skills in AFU. Updated: October 2026.
In AFU, medical training is mandatory for every soldier, not just medics. It covers first aid, tactical combat casualty care (TCCC), first aid kit handling and survival skills. The goal is simple: to save life for yourself and your brothers in the first minutes after the injury - before the arrival of the medics. Details below.
First aid: what everyone can do
Controlling hemorrhage with a tourniquet and pressure dressing, chest seal application for chest wounds, hypothermia prevention, casualty examination and evacuation. These skills — without prior medical education — are mastered by everyone during Basic Combined Arms Training (BCAT).
More details: first aid in AFU.
TCCC — tactical combat casualty care
TCCC (Tactical Combat Casualty Care) is an international standard of combat medicine that AFU implements in the training of all specialties: three phases of care (under fire, in the field, during evacuation) and the MARCH algorithm.
More details: TCCC protocol and MARCH algorithm in AFU.
Individual first aid kit
Each fighter has an individual first-aid kit: a tourniquet, a pressure bandage, hemostatic agents, occlusive stickers, a marker to mark the time of application of the tourniquet. In training, they teach how to use it in the dark and under stress.
More details: individual first aid kit in AFU.
Survival skills
Masking, orientation, shelter, water and food at the position, actions under fire are a basic part of the training of every serviceman.
More details: survival skills in AFU.
Normative base
Preservation of the life and health of servicemen is enshrined in the strategic documents of national security and defense of Ukraine, and mandatory training is enshrined in the legislation on military service. Training in tactical medicine is conducted according to the TCCC standards used by the AFU Medical Service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is medical training mandatory for non-physicians?
Yes. First aid and the basics of TCCC are a mandatory part of training for all AFU servicemen, because in combat, the closest helper to the wounded is the comrade next to him.
What is TCCC in simple words?
This is the standard of care for the wounded in battle: first stop massive bleeding, then airway, breathing, blood circulation and protection against hypothermia (MARCH algorithm), then evacuation to medics.
Do they issue an individual first aid kit?
Yes, the first-aid kit is part of the physical support. But the most important thing is not the first-aid kit itself, but the ability to use it - this is taught at the training.
Where do medical studies take place?
In educational centers during Basic Combined Arms Training (BCAT) and professional training; tactical medicine classes are repeated regularly in units so that skills are not lost.
Legal & Regulatory Sources
Still Have Questions?
A recruiter from the 3rd Mechanized Battalion 160th Mechanized Brigade will answer all your questions personally — free and with no obligation.
Talk to a Recruiter About AFU Recruitment →