The thing is, what you were taught decades ago (as was I) in the military has been proven to be wrong, mostly as a result of what we have learned since 2001. The lessons learned from the war in Iraq and Afghanistan changed all the protocols for tourniquets.I'm too old for the tacticool crowd. Decades ago as a scout and later soldier I was taught when a tourniquet was necessary and how to improvise and apply one. Later the Red Cross began teaching not to use them. We were taught they were only to used in life or death situations as loss of a limb, was better than loss of life. I don't carry one -if i need it, I'll do it.