Individual First Aid Kit: Advice from an Active-Duty Combat Medic

In this article, Alex "Pride", senior combat medic and TCCC instructor, shares what he packs into his fighters’ IFAKs—plus practical tips useful for both service members and civilians who care about their safety and the safety of others.

The contents of an individual first aid kit are too important to wing it. Soldiers get issued kits and training, but civilians need to learn what TCCC is, how to give first aid correctly, and update their kits for wartime risks.

Official Recommendations

Every soldier on the battlefield carries a personal IFAK. That’s the kit used to save a wounded fighter—by the casualty, a teammate, or a medic. Medics have their own bag, but a fighter must first rely on their own kit and keep it ready.

Issued kits can vary in quality and contents—and that affects survival. Every service member should understand the components and improve the loadout if needed.

According to a Ministry of Health order, a standard military IFAK includes:

• CoTCCC recommended tourniquet (2 pcs)

• Hemostatic agent (chemical)

• Pressure bandage (Israeli bandage)

• Sterile gauze bandage

• Occlusive chest seal (2 pcs)

• Nasopharyngeal airway (NPA)

• Pill pack

• Emergency (thermal) blanket

• Trauma shears

• Disposable nitrile gloves

• Adhesive tape

• Permanent marker

• TCCC casualty card

This is a solid baseline, but it can be expanded to cover more likely scenarios. Below is what I put in my fighters’ kits—what each item is for, and what to watch for when choosing gear and delivering care.

Tactical IFAK Loadout

• Tourniquet
  One of the most critical tools for stopping massive bleeding from a limb. I use CoTCCC-recommended tourniquets (CAT, SOF-TT, SAM, TMT) and the Ukrainian SICH tourniquet. The minimum requirement is two, but I advise four: one in the IFAK, one on the belt/rig, two on the armor.
  
  

• Hemostatic Gauze
  Gauze impregnated with a clot-accelerating agent for wound packing. Examples: QuikClot Gauze, Combat Gauze Z-Folded, Celox Gauze, plus Ukrainian KrovoSpas and Hemostatic. 2 pcs.
  
  

• Pressure Bandage (“Israeli” bandage)
  Elastic bandage with a built-in pad and pressure applicator for creating focused pressure and stopping bleeding. 1 pc, 10-15 cm width.
  
  

• Additional Dressings
  Rolled bandages and non-sterile gauze for packing or covering non-massive bleeding. Prefer finished edges so threads don’t remain in the wound.
  
  

• Chest Seal
  Adhesive seal for penetrating chest wounds. 1 pc—e.g., HyFin, HALO, SAM. I carry HyFin.
  
  

• Decompression Needle
  For tension pneumothorax. It rides in the fighter’s kit for the combat medic / lifesaver, as only they are authorized to use it. 1 pc.
  
  

• Nasopharyngeal Airway (NPA)
  Maintains airway patency. Must include lubricant and be the right size (measure from nose tip to earlobe). 1 pc.
  
  

• Nitrile Gloves
  Single-use nitrile gloves in your size—mandatory to avoid blood contact. You render aid with the casualty’s kit, but wear your own gloves (theirs may not fit). At least 2 pairs.
  
  

• Trauma Shears
  For cutting clothing to expose the wound quickly and safely.
  
  

• Reinforced Tape + Hypoallergenic Non-Woven Tape
  For securing dressings, splinters, or splints.
  
  

• Emergency (Thermal) Blanket
  Prevents hypothermia. In practice, one often isn’t enough to wrap a casualty — carry 2.
  
  

• Pill Pack
  Analgesic (paracetamol 1000 mg), antibiotic (moxifloxacin 400 mg), NSAID (meloxicam 15 mg).
  
  

• TCCC Casualty Card + Permanent Marker
  Record tourniquet time and fill out the casualty card. 1 pc.

Useful Add-Ons

• Oropharyngeal Airway (OPA)
  Another airway tool. Size it from mouth corner to earlobe. 1 pc.
  Why in a fighter’s kit if it’s a medic’s tool? In critical cases there aren’t enough hands. I train fighters to place an OPA, and in a pinch they can do it under my supervision.
  
  

• Body and Hand Warmers
  Help prevent hypothermia from blood loss—even in summer. 2 pcs.
  
  

• Hydrogel Burn Dressing
  Apply to burns to protect the wound surface and ease subsequent care. 1 pc.
  
  

• Eye Shield
  Vented plastic shield protects an injured eye under the dressing. If it’s in the kit, you don’t need to improvise. You can request such shields free for your unit. 1 pc.
  
  

• Adhesive Bandages
  Regular fingertip bandages—very helpful for finger injuries and torn nails. 3 pcs.

Tips

• Use Only High Quality Treatments
  Don’t sacrifice proven manufacturers for a lower price. Sometimes you can save without losing quality—but not always.
  Rely on reputable brands or people you trust. I listed some I buy myself. CoTCCC also publishes recommendations.
  
  

• Watch Out for Counterfeits
  Famous brands get copied. Some fakes are so “good” even experienced users can miss them. Buying from trusted dealers reduces risk.
  
  

• Know Your Kit
  Always know what’s in your IFAK—and how to use it. For example, CoTCCC recommends eight different tourniquets. The principle is the same, but windlasses, retainers, and straps differ. If you add new gear, train with it first. Also check expiry dates and package integrity regularly.

IFAK for Civilians

What from the military list is useful for civilians?

In wartime—almost everything, if you know how to use it. If you haven’t taken first aid or TCCC courses yet, sign up.

After you’ve learned the basics and handled the items above, assemble your kit. You likely won’t need medic-specific tools like a decompression needle, but you should carry bleeding-control tools (tourniquet, hemostatic gauze, pressure bandage). “Small” items—thermal blankets, gloves, adhesive bandages—are useful far beyond missile strikes, crashes, and accidents.

Train… and Train Again

Both fighters and civilians must practice regularly so skills stick: tourniquet application, recovery position, and more. Under stress, theory evaporates, but what you’ve drilled to muscle memory remains—on the battlefield and in the city.

Also rehearse the algorithm: assess correctly, act in the right order, know what comes next. That takes more time than any single course allows. For self-practice, I recommend LifesaverSIM—a game-based simulator for first aid and TCCC. It lets you work through scenarios with guidance so that, when needed, you act clearly and quickly. A life can depend on it.

Professional Note — “A Chinese Tourniquet Kills!”