On course for next patient evacuation exercise

On 6 September, about 30 participants from twelve different nations met at Multinational Medical Coordination Centre / European Medical Command (MMCCMultinational Medical Coordination Centre/EMCEuropean Medical Command) in Koblenz for the first planning conference. After the success of the last patient management exercise on a multinational level, the framework for the next Casualty Move (CAMOContinuing Airworthiness Management Organisation) exercise in 2023 has already been set.

For this topic, "the need for exercises in our partner nations is clearly recognised and desired," is how Brigadier General Dr. Stefan Kowitz states the reason for the shift that was originally made for the exercise cycle. After 2020 and 2022, wargaming to train collective, multinational patient transport ordinarily would not be scheduled again until 2024.

The focus is at the operational level, above divisions and across domains. This refers to the transfer of patients from field hospitals or staging hubs from the area of operations to their respective home countries. "Coordinating the transport of patients from the multinational medical facilities to the respective home countries and using the available resources in a targeted manner for the benefit of the patients is one of the core tasks within this exercise," states Lt. Col. Andreas G., head of the multinational planning team.

NATO scenario as a basis

As for this year's exercise, NATO's OCCASUS scenario will be used in 2023. It is regularly used for exercises with high combat and casualty intensity and at the same time leads to a high exercise value and a foreseeable high learning effect for all participants under realistic and actual conditions.

Exercise objective as consensus

The objective is to test and train the compatibility of the multinational medical support system at different levels within an Article 5 conflict scenario. With the help of this wargaming, further experience is to be gained for the new concept for the management of patient transport of NATO and its member nations. The conference participants from Belgium, Great Britain, Germany, Romania, the Netherlands, Canada, the United States of America, Italy, France, Slovakia, Norway, Estonia and Lithuania as well as a representative from Germany's Robert Koch Institute agreed on this.

The wargaming will take place between 24 and 28 April 2023 in Tartu, Estonia, with the interfaces and contact persons in the individual participating nations.

by Rico Maderthoner