DESERT DISRUPTORS

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. — Smoke floods into the tiny outdoor carport and sounds of war blast out into the humid air as the Airman’s coyote brown boots step into a puddle of a casualty’s blood. 

Staff Sgt. Molly Arroyo, 96th Medical Group, secures her simulated casualty to a stretcher during a tactical field care scenario June 5, 2025 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The scenario was part of the 96th Medical Group’s weeklong Tier 3 tactical combat casualty care training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.)  Maj. Cameron Elward, 38th Rescue Squadron, tends to her simulated casualty during a tactical field care scenario June 5, 2025 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The scenario was part of the 96th Medical Group’s weeklong Tier 3 tactical combat casualty care training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.)  Maj. Cameron Elward, 38th Rescue Squadron, applies a field dressing during a a tactical field care scenario June 5, 2025 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The scenario was part of the 96th Medical Group’s weeklong Tier 3 tactical combat casualty care training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.)  Lt. Col. Sonja Trotter, 94th Aeromedical Staging Squadron, tends to her simulated casualty during a tactical field care scenario June 5, 2025 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The scenario was part of the 96th Medical Group’s weeklong Tier 3 tactical combat casualty care training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.)  Lt. Col. Sonja Trotter, 94th Aeromedical Staging Squadron, tends to her simulated casualty during a tactical field care scenario June 5, 2025 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The scenario was part of the 96th Medical Group’s weeklong Tier 3 tactical combat casualty care training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.)  Lt. Col. Sonja Trotter, 94th Aeromedical Staging Squadron, begins to tend to her simulated casualty during a tactical field care scenario June 5, 2025 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The scenario was part of the 96th Medical Group’s weeklong Tier 3 tactical combat casualty care training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.)  Senior Airman Colton Hatchett, 96th Medical Group, applies a tourniquet during a tactical field care scenario June 5, 2025 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The scenario was part of the 96th Medical Group’s weeklong Tier 3 tactical combat casualty care training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.)  Senior Airman Logan Dowell, 96th Medical Group, prepares a syringe during a tactical field care scenario June 5, 2025 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The scenario was part of the 96th Medical Group’s weeklong Tier 3 tactical combat casualty care training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.)  Staff Sgt. Molly Arroyo, 96th Medical Group, tends to her simulated casualty during a tactical field care scenario June 5, 2025 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The scenario was part of the 96th Medical Group’s weeklong Tier 3 tactical combat casualty care training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.)  Senior Airman Logan Dowell, 96th Medical Group, listens for patient respiration during a tactical field care scenario June 5, 2025 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The scenario was part of the 96th Medical Group’s weeklong Tier 3 tactical combat casualty care training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.)  Senior Airman Colton Hatchett, 96th Medical Group communicates with the medical evacuation team during a tactical field care scenario June 5, 2025 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The scenario was part of the 96th Medical Group’s weeklong Tier 3 tactical combat casualty care training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.)  Maj. Cameron Elward, 38th Rescue Squadron applies a torniquet during a tactical field care scenario June 5, 2025 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The scenario was part of the 96th Medical Group’s weeklong Tier 3 tactical combat casualty care training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.)  Maj. Cameron Elward, 38th Rescue Squadron, prepares a syringe during a tactical field care scenario June 5, 2025 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The scenario was part of the 96th Medical Group’s weeklong Tier 3 tactical combat casualty care training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.)  Maj. Cameron Elward, 38th Rescue Squadron, tends to his simulated casualty during a tactical field care scenario June 5, 2025 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The scenario was part of the 96th Medical Group’s weeklong Tier 3 tactical combat casualty care training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.)  Senior Airman Colton Hatchett, 96th Medical Group, tends to his simulated casualty during a tactical field care scenario June 5, 2025 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The scenario was part of the 96th Medical Group’s weeklong Tier 3 tactical combat casualty care training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.)  Lt. Col. Sonja Trotter, 94th Aeromedical Staging Squadron, tends to her simulated casualty during a tactical field care scenario June 5, 2025 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The scenario was part of the 96th Medical Group’s weeklong Tier 3 tactical combat casualty care training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.)  Maj. Cameron Elward, 38th Rescue Squadron, listens for patient respiration during a tactical field care scenario June 4, 2025 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The scenario was part of the 96th Medical Group’s weeklong Tier 3 tactical combat casualty care training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.)  Airmen apply a tourniquet during a tactical field care scenario June 4, 2025 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The scenario was part of the 96th Medical Group’s weeklong Tier 3 tactical combat casualty care training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.)  Staff Sgt. Miranda Sharrow and Senior Airman Logan Dowell, 96th Medical Group, tend to their simulated casualty during a tactical field care scenario June 4, 2025 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The scenario was part of the 96th MDG’s weeklong Tier 3 tactical combat casualty care training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.)  Staff Sgt. Molly Arroyo, 96th Medical Group, gets help from an instructor during tactical field care training June 4, 2025 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The scenario was part of the 96th MDG’s weeklong Tier 3 tactical combat casualty care training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.)  Staff Sgt. Molly Arroyo, 96th Medical Group, fills a syringe during tactical field care training June 4, 2025 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The scenario was part of the 96th MDG’s weeklong Tier 3 tactical combat casualty care training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.)