Military
Hemorrhage Control in Syria
Sergeant First Class (SFC)
Special Forces Medic, 18D
Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group
During a combat deployment to Syria, an 18D Special Forces Medic received a patient with shrapnel injuries to both legs and the abdomen following an anti-personnel mine strike. Bleeding had been partially controlled with direct pressure applied by rags, and no other treatment had been rendered before arrival.
After the initial evaluation, the medic removed the rags and applied manual pressure above the bleeding sites. Blood and debris were removed with repeated saline boluses. The medic then utilized SEAL spray directly on the wounds to both legs, followed by manual pressure converted to pressure dressings over the course of five minutes.
Bleeding was controlled, and the patient was later evacuated to a host nation facility for definitive surgical treatment.
As reported by the medic: “Spray was accurate and directed entirely into the wound tracts without spreading onto other areas and provided quick and efficient hemorrhage control for heavy venous bleeding.”
A Note from SEAL
What stands out in this account is that the product’s effectiveness is described in the operator’s own words, under the kind of conditions that matter most. This was not a controlled setting or a routine treatment environment. It was a combat deployment involving complex traumatic injuries, delayed intervention prior to arrival, and the need for rapid action under pressure. In that setting, the medic’s firsthand observations speak directly to the qualities that matter most in the field: reliability, precision, and speed.
The testimonial also reinforces something essential about operational medicine. Performance is not just about whether a product works in ideal conditions. It is about whether it still works after months in an aid bag, after repeated exposure to temperature swings, rough handling, and daily wear in an unpredictable environment. In this case, the medic specifically noted that SEAL “worked well” despite all of those factors. That kind of firsthand validation carries weight because it reflects actual use where failure is not an option.
Equally important is the medic’s description of how the spray behaved on application. The fact that it was “accurate and directed entirely into the wound tracts without spreading onto other areas” points to a level of control that can be especially important in chaotic trauma scenarios. Precision helps support faster intervention, cleaner application, and greater confidence during treatment, particularly when time is limited and the provider is managing multiple variables at once.
This account also shows SEAL being used the way effective field tools should be used, as part of a broader treatment sequence that includes assessment, wound clearing, pressure, and dressing application. It did not replace clinical judgment. It supported it. It gave the medic another effective option for controlling heavy venous bleeding in a difficult and resource-constrained setting.
For SEAL, this is the standard. We build for real-world performance, not idealized conditions. We build for medics who need tools that remain dependable after months of carry, transport, and exposure. And we build for moments where precision and hemorrhage control must happen fast. This testimonial helps illustrate that standard through direct experience, not marketing language.
Testimonial from
Sergeant First Class (SFC)
Special Forces Medic, 18D
Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group
Syria, Combat Deployment