From Combat Medic to Community Educator: Marcelo Bini Brings STOP THE BLEED^® to Brazil

For former U.S. Army combat medic Marcelo Bini, serving others did not end when he left the military.

After transitioning out of military service and into law enforcement in 2016, Bini was determined to continue making a difference in his community. As a licensed STOP THE BLEED^® Instructor, he found a natural way to combine his experience in emergency care with his passion for teaching others how they can help save lives.

“I wanted to continue engaging the community around me by teaching how lives can be saved using the STOP THE BLEED^® program,” Bini said.

That mission soon took him beyond his home in Texas. In 2018, Bini began teaching STOP THE BLEED^® in Brazil, sharing bleeding-control skills with police officers, teachers and students.

Taking Battlefield Lessons to the Community

STOP THE BLEED^® is an official program of the Department of War, built on lessons the department learned during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan about how to control severe bleeding. The program gives members of the public the knowledge and confidence to act in a bleeding emergency before professional help arrives.

For Bini, the principles he learned through military service had clear applications far beyond the battlefield.

Since becoming an instructor, Bini and his partners have trained more than 1,000 people across Brazil. He has worked to make STOP THE BLEED^® accessible to communities that may have limited resources or face challenges with emergency response.

“Brazilians are always in need of simple-to-understand, life-saving programs like STOP THE BLEED^®,” Bini said. “Their access to limited resources for bleeding control makes the program one of a kind.”

His work has extended beyond individual training sessions. Bini has helped advocate for legislation in Brazil that would require bleeding-control training based on STOP THE BLEED^® fundamentals. The program has also gained traction in schools, businesses and public-sector organizations.

Preparing the Next Generation

Education is at the heart of Bini’s approach.

In schools, he organizes professional development sessions for school resource officers and teachers that incorporate STOP THE BLEED^®, Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE) and ALERRT protocols.

He has also adapted STOP THE BLEED^® concepts for younger students. Using “blue blood” materials, Bini teaches children fundamental bleeding-control concepts in a way that is age-appropriate and less intimidating.

At the same time, Bini and his partners work through public-private partnerships to provide bleeding-control kits to schools and build a growing network of volunteers who can help spread these lifesaving skills.

Turning Bystanders Into Lifesavers

Bini’s work demonstrates how the lessons learned through military medicine can continue to make an impact long after service ends.

“STOP THE BLEED^® has become a powerful tool in Brazil, where limited emergency response makes this kind of training essential,” Bini said. “Sometimes, these skills are the only recourse citizens have.”

Whether in a classroom, a school hallway or a community setting, Bini’s message is consistent: ordinary people can make an extraordinary difference when they have the knowledge and confidence to act.

His journey is one example of how veterans are helping expand the reach of STOP THE BLEED^®, taking skills developed through military experience and sharing them with communities around the world.

Take a STOP THE BLEED^® Class

Severe bleeding can become life-threatening within minutes. By learning how to recognize and respond to a bleeding emergency, you can be prepared to help someone in the critical moments before professional responders arrive.

Learn more about STOP THE BLEED^® training and how you can get involved through the Department of War STOP THE BLEED^® program.