Perspective: War zone first aid changed to reflect times

HEIDELBERG, Germany — For decades, anyone who took a first-aid class was taught ABC: clear the airway, ensure breathing, check circulation.

But that’s been superseded, at least on the battlefield. “What we’ve learned is it’s not ABC. It’s CAB,” said Brig. Gen. David Rubenstein, commander of the European Regional Medical Command. “We stop the flow of blood first.”

In the Iraq war, the highest percentage of the more than 3,200 total U.S. military combat deaths have come through roadside bombs. More precisely, the massive injuries the bombs inflict cause soldiers to bleed to death.

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