NATO exercise to control patient transport

The Multinational Medical Coordination Centre/ European Medical Command (MMCCMultinational Medical Coordination Centre/EMCEuropean Medical Command) and the NATO Centre of Excellence for Military Medicine (MilMed CoE) are jointly organizing a medical service wargaming. The joint project is scheduled to take place April4-9, 2022, at the Hungarian Armed Forces Training and Conference Center in Balatonakarattya, Hungary. Up to 150 participants from 22 countries are expected to attend.

Zoom

The objective is to test and train the compatibility of the multinational medical support system at different levels within an Article 5 conflict scenario. This wargaming will be used to gain experience for the future concept of transnational patient transport control for NATO and its member nations."Coordinating the transport of patients from the multinational medical facilities all the way to their respective home countries and using the available resources in a targeted manner for the benefit of the patients" represents one of the core tasks within this exercise, according to MMCCMultinational Medical Coordination Centre/EMCEuropean Medical Command press officer Commander j.g. Rico Maderthoner.

"Coordinating the transport of patients from the multinational medical facilities all the way to their respective home countries and targeting the available resources for the benefit of the patients" represents one of the core tasks within this exercise, according to MMCCMultinational Medical Coordination Centre/EMCEuropean Medical Command Public Affairs Officer, Commander j.g. Rico Maderthoner.

Improving cooperation and operational readiness

"The exercise scenario demonstrates the unique challenges of NATO's medical services in the context of national and alliance defense. This exercise will develop important skills and knowledge and help improve our operational readiness as well as our cooperation," said MMCCMultinational Medical Coordination Centre/EMCEuropean Medical Command Director, Brigadier General Dr. Stefan Kowitz.

NATO's OCCASUS scenario is used for exercises with high combat and casualty intensity, while leading to high exercise value and a foreseeable high learning effect for all participants under realistic and actual conditions.

MMCCMultinational Medical Coordination Centre/EMCEuropean Medical Command contributes its wargaming expertise

Zoom

By using a medical wargaming a traditional and at the same time personnel and resource saving training method is used. Very good results can be achieved with a manageable effort. At the same time, participants from a variety of countries and with different levels of experience can benefit from the training. Simultaneously, the network of experts and the understanding of medical service interoperability in a multinational framework is improved. To this end, MMCCMultinational Medical Coordination Centre/EMCEuropean Medical Command contributes its wargaming expertise for both exercise components. Therefore, MMCCMultinational Medical Coordination Centre/EMCEuropean Medical Command EXCON is also responsible for developing the exercise scenario and vignettes as well as the overarching exercise control.

Exercise at two levels supports alliance defense capability

The VW-CAMOContinuing Airworthiness Management Organisation 22 medical wargaming exercise combines two separate exercises. MilMedCoENATO Center of Excellence for Military Medicine's VIGOROUS WARRIOR (VW) exercise focuses on patient care at the tactical level in the brigade and division areas. MMCCMultinational Medical Coordination Centre/EMCEuropean Medical Command's portion of Exercise CASUALTY MOVE (CAMOContinuing Airworthiness Management Organisation) 22 has its focus at the operational level, above divisions and across domains. It exercises the transfer of patients from field hospitals or staging HUBS from the theater of operations to their respective home countries. Linking these two levels is the challenge for the organizers but also for the exercise participants. "We live in times of global political upheaval, where the capability for national and alliance defense in an international context has taken on great importance. The medical service wargaming VW/CAMOContinuing Airworthiness Management Organisation 22 supports these efforts.