Airmen conduct emergency medical response exercise

U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 380th Expeditionary Medical Squadron transport a simulated patient in need of immediate care during a mass casualty exercise within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, Oct. 31, 2024. The exercise helps Airmen assess and prioritize patients and remain calm under pressure. (U.S. Air Force Photo)

Airmen conduct emergency medical response exercise

U.S. Air Force Col. Paul Sheets, 380th Air Expeditionary Wing commander, watches the response of 380th Expeditionary Medical Squadron Airmen during a mass casualty exercise within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, Oct. 31, 2024. During the exercise Airmen demonstrated their ability to provide care and showcase their readiness in the midst of crisis. (U.S. Air Force Photo)

Airmen conduct emergency medical response exercise

U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 380th Expeditionary Medical Squadron assess the condition of an Airman with a simulated injury during a mass casualty exercise within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility Oct. 31, 2024. The 380th EMS Airmen are trained to provide life saving care and to stabilize patients until they can receive the necessary level of medical attention. (U.S. Air Force Photo)

Airmen conduct emergency medical response exercise

U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 380th Expeditionary Medical Squadron treat simulated patients during a mass casualty exercise within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, Oct. 31, 2024. Airmen were quick to assess the status of simulated injured and deceased Airmen, quickly providing aid and transporting patients for immediate care. (U.S. Air Force Photo)

Airmen conduct emergency medical response exercise

U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 380th Expeditionary Medical Squadron seek shelter in a bunker during a mass casualty exercise within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, Oct. 31, 2024. During the exercise, Airmen followed the procedures for an incoming missile attack and awaited further instructions. (U.S. Air Force)

380th executes high-intensity mass casualty exercise

Published Dec. 8, 2024
By Tech. Sgt. Jessica H. Smith-McMahan
380th Air Expeditionary Wing

U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY --

In a demonstration of preparedness and rapid response capabilities, the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing recently conducted a large-scale Mass Casualty (MasCal) exercise, engaging personnel across multiple units in a simulated emergency scenario.

The exercise – the first of its kind in nearly two decades for the wing – was designed to mimic real-world threats in austere environments, allowing Airmen to test their response times, medical triage processes and inter-unit coordination under high-stress conditions.

The exercise allowed for the testing of individual and integrated disaster response capabilities with an aim to prepare personnel for potential emergencies in the region and strengthen the relationship and proficiencies with host nation partners.

"One of our main goals for this exercise was to stress our disaster response system and identify areas to improve on,” said Col. Michael Silverman, 380th Expeditionary Medical Squadron commander. “Integrating effectively with partner medics added another level of complexity to the scenario that our team had to react to.”

Exercises and partner integration can each come with challenges, especially when it comes to coordinating responses in real-time. The increased complexity required personnel to adapt quickly and highlighted ways to improve communication gaps and alleviate hindrances on mission effectiveness.

"A recurring theme when it comes to disaster management tends to be poor communication, and this exercise during the planning phase highlighted that this was a limiting factor to mission success,” said 380th EMDS chief of medical staff. “Through this exercise we were able to strengthen our communication and contingency plans, thus ensuring a more robust response and relationship in the future."

While communication challenges were identified and addressed, the exercise also placed the unit in a high-pressure environment, which tested their ability to prepare and execute alongside a partner nation under tight timelines.

“The challenge of preparing for an exercise of this scale with a partner nation on relatively short notice created a sense of healthy stress and focus in the unit,” Silverman explained. “Since we had only recently arrived, the exercise forced us to zero in on disaster response in a way that brought people together. Despite some challenges, this exercise met our objectives and was widely viewed as a fantastic starting point for deepening our relationship.”

The MasCal exercise included the active involvement of leaders, medical teams and emergency response units who focused on testing the medical response teams on their triage and evacuation protocols. Teams worked to assess, stabilize and transport simulated casualties through varying scenarios from minor injuries to more threatening trauma, under conditions meant to replicate the urgency and unpredictability of a real event.

“Before we can run, we need to learn how to crawl and then walk ... through this
exercise we essentially worked our way up to running,” the chief of medical staff said. “Our goal was to have excellent communication with our partners as we triaged and transported over a dozen members off base with minimal resources. Of course there will always be improvements to make, but that’s why we exercise.”

The exercise emphasized the importance of continuous training and maintaining a combat-ready force while serving as a testament to the Air Force's commitment to preparedness and adaptability in all types of environments.

“It's easy to start thinking about the off-base attractions and forget about our proximity to nearby threats. It was a sobering reminder that anything can happen anytime without warning, and we need to be prepared and at the ready at a moment's notice," he said. “In a real-world scenario, I think we both recognize the importance of cooperation to help save as many lives as possible and restoring base functionality as quickly as we can.”

With differences of practice easily seen, the true test of the exercise was in the ability to be flexible while embracing what each nation brings to the table.

“This exercise highlighted some differences and provided an improved understanding of each other’s approach. Moving forward, we will adapt to each other’s styles, hopefully toward a genuinely integrated response capability,” Silverman furthered. “We collectively executed the first bilateral mass casualty exercise here in fifteen years, with both sides wanting to continue to deepen our relationship – that alone makes the exercise a success.”