DVIDS – News – Air Force Surgeon General eyes modernizing capabilities for joint commanders (Part 2)

Since assuming his position of Air Force Surgeon General, Lt. Gen. Robert Miller has labored to advance the Air Force Medical Service’s capabilities, making certain it’s prepared for an evolving joint struggle.

One of his said priorities is enhancing combatant commander capabilities, which focuses on modernization at each degree of care, and rising international well being engagements.

“The combat environment will not be static,” stated Miller. “As a result, we cannot assume we will always have air superiority…, [so medics may need] to hold and treat patients longer and closer to the front lines. Deployed capabilities and medical technology need to meet this potential new reality.”

Aeromedical Evacuation

Aeromedical evacuation has remained a staple life-saving functionality since World War II and has grown to save lots of extra lives via humanitarian assist, and amid a world pandemic. However, future conflicts will current new, unprecedented challenges.

“We have to be ready for… increasingly dispersed operations in challenging, contested environments,” stated Col. Marilyn Thomas, Division Chief, En Route Medical Care, Air Mobility Command. “We may find ourselves having to move what we call ‘unregulated patients.’ That means when we have an aircraft approved for aeromedical evacuations and we are able to land, we may not know the exact number of patients or their exact diagnoses. Preparing for unregulated patient movement impacts the makeup of our teams and how we train.”

An benefit Air Force medics have is they’re able to convert any authorised cargo or tanker plane to move a variety of sufferers, together with the KC-46A Pegasus, which accomplished its first aeromedical evacuation mission on July 10, 2020.

“The idea is we can adapt to almost any cargo or tanker aircraft, so wherever patients move, if we have an aircraft, we can team up with aeromedical evacuation crews,” stated Lt. Col. Sarah Morton, Chief, Aeromedical Evacuation Standardization and Evaluation, Air Mobility Command. “What we are doing now is making sure we can integrate on whatever the next approved aeromedical evacuation aircraft will be.”

Air Mobility Command, which leads the aeromedical evacuation and demanding care air transport missions, is repeatedly working to optimize tools to change into smaller and modular. Additionally, AMC is reviewing medical specialties to proper dimension the make-up of AE and CCAT groups.

“We know patient loads could be larger in future conflicts, so we are taking another look at what type of clinicians and clinical support we need,” stated Thomas. “We are looking at what the right mix of medical attendants would be to augmented support.”

Deployed floor capabilities

Miller has additionally directed a more in-depth take a look at floor medical capabilities, together with care delivered on the level of damage and in deployed medical amenities.

“The end goal is to provide commanders with greater flexibility and range of options that can bring advanced care that is highly mobile and ready to operate in the most demanding environments,” stated Miller.

One of these choices is the Air Force’s Ground Surgical Team, or GST, a six-member surgical crew who can work in austere environments to supply harm management resuscitation, surgical procedure, and demanding care.

“Trauma care in austere, deployed environments is different than from trauma care in hospitals,” stated Lt. Col. Christopher Mahoney, the GST marketing consultant to the Air Force Surgeon General. “Resources and personnel are limited, and you often have little backup or access to a fully staffed, modern facility. GST members are trained for that environment to give patients the best chance of survival.”

GSTs are a part of the Air Force’s Expeditionary Medical Support System, or EMEDS, which is a deployable, full-service medical facility. Since its first deployment in 1999, the EMEDS has performed a important position in each battle and lots of humanitarian responses. However, as the character of warfare adjustments, so to should EMEDS.

“Our EMEDS will need to become increasingly modular to function in contested, cyber-degraded environments for tans-regional, all-domain conflicts,” stated Paul Clark, Expeditionary Medical Policy and Operations appearing director, Office of the Air Force Surgeon General. “To meet these demands we are developing ways to modernize.”

The AFMS is working to extend the ability’s capability to carry sufferers longer, or indefinitely, in degraded operational environments, in addition to to develop relationships with associate nations.

Strengthening alliances

Being medically prepared for the long run struggle extends past the AFMS. The Air Force, together with the complete Department of Defense, depends on Global Health Engagement to strengthen partnerships with different nations. GHEs enhance mutual capabilities via well being-associated exchanges and furthers interoperability with associate nations throughout contingency operations.

“The 2022 National Defense Strategy emphasizes the importance of working seamlessly with our allies and partners across domains to deter aggression and prevail in conflict,” stated Col. Elizabeth Erickson, U.S. Air Force International Health Specialist Program director. “In the health domain, GHE is preparing for future contingencies where we may not have the full range of U.S. medical capabilities readily available. GHE programs will improve global readiness for future health security threats.”

GHE coaching applications and platforms are already evolving to make sure International Health Specialists who develop and execute GHE applications have the experience essential to proceed strengthening partnerships. This contains making a tri-service GHE orientation course, rising coaching in safety cooperation, and establishing a fellowship program set to start this summer time.

“Increasing the effectiveness of Air Force global health engagement is critical to supporting national security policies,” stated Miller. “As a strategic goal of the Air Force Medical Service, it is important our internationally minded Airmen execute long-term, sustainable, and impactful medical security cooperation.”

Editor’s Note: This article is an element two of a 3 half collection highlighting Lt. Gen. Robert Miller’s priorities for the way forward for the Air Force Medical Service.