Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Nicholas Farina | KFOR Multinational Battle Group-East and Serbian Armed Forces personnel move hastily...... read more read more
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Kosovo Force, Multinational Battle Group – East and Serbian Armed Forces conducted a mixed multi-ship, medical evacuation procedure validation exercise along the Administrative Boundary Line between Kosovo and Serbia, October 05, 2017.
The exercise included a SAF search and rescue helicopter, a MNBG-East UH-60 medevac and a MNBG-East UH-60 observer. It was the first mixed multi-ship formation between SAF and MNBG-East.
Strengthening interoperability between MNBG-East and SAF is one of the shared goals between the two organizations.
MNBG-East and Serbia are enhancing their joint effectiveness by exchanging procedures and information involving transportation systems, medical systems and communication protocols, said Col. Michael Spraggins, the MNBG-East commander out of Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo. The on-going partnership and these meetings between MNBG-East and SAF increase the mission effectiveness involving security along the ABL.
The event validated medevac processes between the two organizations, said Maj. Robert Reed, the Joint Implementation Commission deputy for MNBG-East. It ensures a safe medevac procedure if a SAF soldier were to be injured while conducting an ABL synchronized patrol.
“Now we are confident that we can work together and execute interoperability among the aircraft,” said Reed.
The planning, coordination and execution of the exercise involved military forces from the United States, Serbia, Turkey and Poland.
“MNBG-E and SAF have been planning the exercise since mid-July. Multiple meetings and rehearsals have gone into making this procedure go from a good idea to a reality,” said Lt. Col. Derald Neugebauer, MNBG-East Joint Implementation Commission chief. “This exercise establishes an enduring medevac process for future ABL synchronized patrols.”
The ABL synchronized patrols develop a known security presence within the area, Reed explained. By conducting medevac exercises, it helps facilitate safety, in that MNBG-East and SAF know with confidence that a medevac can be utilized in the event of an injury. If forces on patrol encounter someone that needs emergency medical assistance, the capability to evacuate the injured personnel to a hospital nearby is available.
Chief Warrant Officer 3 John Council, the instructor pilot for MNBG-East Southern Command Post, explained that MNBG-East and SAF conducted what is called a “medevac 301” training scenario. It involves a simulated 9-line medevac request. All parties coordinate and respond to the simulated medical emergency in real time.
Council, who was the air mission commander for the MNBG-East aircraft during this exercise, and 2nd Lt. Pawel Laskowski, a Polish Armed Forces JIC Operations Officer for MNBG-East who was involved in the scenario, broke down the simulated chain of events.
While SAF and MNBG-East personnel were conducting an ABL patrol, they notionally lost radio communications with their external support. SAF responded to the break in communication by launching a search and rescue helicopter. They found the patrol, reestablished communications with them and learned that the patrol had one simulated injured SAF soldier, said Laskowski.
The SAF search and rescue aviators relayed the information to SAF headquarters about the injured soldier, who then called in a 9-line medevac request to MNBG-East, Laskowski explained.
MNBG-East medevac personnel responded, adhering to timelines and getting the aircraft into the air, said Council.
The MNBG-East medevac helicopter then touched down at the designated landing zone on the ABL to load the injured SAF soldier. During this time, the SAF search and rescue helicopter and a MNBG-East observer helicopter circled the surrounding area, Council continues.
Upon taking off, the MNBG-East and SAF helicopters then linked up and entered into Serbia while flying in formation. The medevac landed at Nis Airport in Serbia where a Serbian medical team was standing by to receive the injured SAF soldier.
Council said that the exercise was productive because it allowed for SAF to practice submitting the 9-line medevac request information accurately, while MNBG-East practiced responding to the request.
“This entire exercise was essentially our medevac 301 training, which our guys are very proficient at,” said Cpt. Christopher Stump, MNBG-East Southern Command Post operations officer. “The added twists were that it was on the ABL in coordination with the SAF, and there was a SAF helicopter involved.”
Now that the exercise is complete, MNBG-East and SAF will go over the process from beginning to end, looking for anything that may have been missed, said Reed. It allows for both organizations to update their procedures, making them better prepared to respond to a real medical emergency along the ABL.
“This is a milestone event for us,” said Reed.
The planning for the ABL medevac exercise has been in the works for months through meetings between MNBG-East and SAF.
In accordance with signed agreements that regulate relations between SAF and KFOR, regular meetings are conducted with SAF at all levels, explained Col. Samo Zanoškar, the KFOR JIC Chief out of KFOR headquarters in Pristina, Kosovo. These meetings are very useful in enhancing cooperation and mutual confidence with SAF in addition to resolving potential disputes.
MNBG-East command and staff came together with SAF to discuss regional matters and plan for this training event, September 21, 2017, in South Base, Serbia.
The regularly scheduled command level meeting revolved around the discussion of maintaining the safety, security and integrity of the on-going operations being conducted by MNBG-East and SAF along the ABL between Serbia and Kosovo.
Illegal activities such as woodcutting and smuggling across the boundary continue to be a problem, Spraggins acknowledged. Both MNBG-East and SAF recognize this. One of the purposes of these meetings is to discuss what the organizations can do together to prohibit these activities.
There is a lot of emphasis on the spirit of working together and the good professional relationships that the organizations have established and maintained over the years, Spraggins pointed out.
“The United States and Serbia share some common bonds in relationships that go beyond the status of disagreements with Kosovo,” said Spraggins. “It’s important that we continue to try and establish the best relationship possible to make sure that we can work through our differences.”
Among these common bonds is the priority of safety for the patrolling forces on both sides of the ABL. This was a shared topic of concern during the meeting, as they discussed the planning for the ABL medevac exercise with SAF.
Upon completion of this training, both organizations will share a better understanding of how the process would work for future medevac operations along the ABL, said 1st Lt. Justin Schade, the assistant S3 and UH-60 Black Hawk pilot for SCP out of Camp Bondsteel.
The implementation of this training to improve interoperability could save lives in the future. Schade explains why.
The mountainous terrain between Kosovo and Serbia can make it difficult for MNBG-East medevac helicopters to access certain locations, especially with hazardous weather conditions, said Schade. Some of these locations are only a five-minute flight away for the Serbian Aviators.
Schade continues explaining that if a SAF soldier becomes injured while patrolling on the ABL and their medical assets are unable to reach them, MNBG-East will have the ability to medevac the SAF soldier to the nearest hospital, regardless of what side of the boundary line it is located on.
Relations between KFOR and SAF have been in existence since the signing of the Military Technical Agreement in 1999. Over the years the dialogue, understanding, trust and cooperation have progressed to a remarkable level, said Zanoškar. The recent joint medevac exercise is an excellent example of how interoperability with SAF enhances the KFOR mission.
“The goal for JIC is to facilitate communication, liaison and understanding between COMKFOR [Commander, Kosovo Force] and the SAF in a professional and meaningful way,” said Zanoškar.
| Date Taken: | 10.05.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 11.09.2017 04:52 |
| Story ID: | 253226 |
| Location: | ZZ |
| Web Views: | 154 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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