Combat Application Tourniquet (CAT), 2008 (c)

Velcro and plastic tourniquet and windlass manufactured by Composite Resources Incorporated, South Carolina, USA. From a medical bergen belonging to Lance Corporal Chris Schivas of 16 Medical Unit who served in Afghanistan during 2007-2008.

The Combat Application Tourniquet can be crucial in stopping bleeding following an injury. It can be wound up one-handed around the injured limb and has allowed soldiers to save their own lives immediately following wounding. This is a great advance over the rubber tube tourniquets that were in use in the Falklands War and Balkans campaigns.