Viper Medics are Shocked during Operation Victory Medic

Photo By 94th Airlift Wing | Sgt. Scott Bird and a Bundeswehr medic load a simulated patient into a U.S. Field Line Ambulance (FLA) during 30th Medical Brigade’s “MEDSHOCK” exercise at McCully Barracks, Germany on Jan. 28, 2016. This training enhanced medical interoperability between the two NATO partered nations. (U.S. Army Photo courtesy of Staff Sgt. William Barraza, 557th Medical Company (AS))  

WACKERNHEIM, GERMANY

02.08.2016

Courtesy Story

421st Medical Multifunctional Battalion

By 2nd Lt. Nicholas Oberholtzer
557th Medical Company (AS)

MCCULLY BARRACKS, Germany - In support of the U.S. Army Europe Medical “Freedom” Shock initiative and to continue to achieve a higher level of true warfighter readiness, 557th Medical Company (Area Support), 421st Medical Battalion (Multifunctional), participated in 30th Medical Brigade’s Operation Victory Medic, a no-notice Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise, a “shock,” and deployed to McCully Barracks near Mainz, Germany Jan., 26 to 29.

The 557th ASMC deployed a NATO Role I, a medical asset, that provided first aid, immediate lifesaving measures, and triage capabilities and provided ground medical evacuation support during the exercise. Their NATO Role I medical facility was collocated with the Bundeswehr Role I medical facility and immediately established a rapport with our German military allies.

The collocated medical facilities enabled both German and U.S. medical assets to plan, rehearse, and execute interoperable missions throughout the exercise and provide care to dozens of simulated patients through mass casualty events. German and U.S. medical personnel also took the opportunity to test the different nations’ medical equipment compatibility during training. This interoperability gives both nations the confidence that in an emergency each nation could use the other’s equipment to save lives.

The next morning, the first 9-line MEDEVAC request came over the radio requesting immediate medical assistance, initiating the start of a mass casualty training event. German and U.S. medical evacuation crews worked together and responded to the scene of the incident. The calls for medical assistance kept coming and the rapid response personnel of both nations were moving patients across the exercise area to multiple roles of medical care. The rapid response to each evacuation site was made possible through the cross-training and support of both German and American medical teams.

Spc. Philip Young, health care specialist (68W) with 557th ASMC, had the opportunity to immerse himself with a German Medical NCO while on an evacuation mission.

“The German Medical Sgt. was eager to learn our U.S. medical procedures for treating patients at point of injury and our evacuation systems to echelons of higher medical care. Integrating our medical teams has increased my knowledge and understanding of how the German military healthcare evacuation system functions, allowing me to better work with our NATO allies in future operations."

Throughout the exercise 557th ASMC and the Bundeswehr Role I effectively communicated, cross loaded patients between facilities, and trained on each other’s equipment solidifying an interoperable relationship. Working hand-in-hand with NATO allies throughout Operation Victory Medics enhanced interoperability by familiarizing both nations’ medical teams with each other’s capabilities, standard operating procedures and building mutual trust between nations.

• Date Taken: 02.08.2016
• Date Posted: 03.05.2016 03:33
• Story ID: 191219
• Location: WACKERNHEIM, DE