SFC Carl R. Piper
The Department of Aviation Medicine (DAM) continues to train the warfighter in aeromedical tasks and drive change by incorporating new lessons learned into all programs of instruction. Each branch of the DAM empathizes the complexity of the modern operating environment to students and a shift from counterinsurgency to large scale combat operations (LSCO).
The Medical Evacuation Doctrine course sets the framework for medical evacuation personnel to become experts in the principles of patient movement within the military health system. Students are challenged to use critical thinking and the military decision-making process to develop strategic Army Health System plans over a Brigade operation while exhibiting an understanding of U.S. Joint evacuation systems and procedures. The Aeromedical Evacuation Officer Pre-command Course hosted 13 Air Ambulance Company Commanders and command selectees from Active and National Guard units.
The Aviation Physiology branch is currently taking part in the spatial disorientation working group with the goal to mitigate human effects risk factors involved while in flight. Decisions made within this working group will help reduces risk and increase safety throughout the aviation enterprises and help strengthen the bond between medicine and aviation.
The Enroute Care branch remains the leading simulation training organization by incorporating injury and patient current trends into training. Great efforts in the past months have led of high-fidelity mannequin certification for use in-flight for a day-long situational training exercise, introduction to treatment of military working dogs, and a LSCO style scenario where students must make critical triage decisions. The team continues to build joint-medical relationships with continued integration of Navy and Air Force students and collaboration with the AF Critical Care Transport Team into the Joint Enroute Care course.
The Graduate Medical Education programs attended the annual Aerospace Medicine Scientific Meeting and American Occupational Health Conference. Residents presented their research and case presentations at each of these national conferences and participated in the RAM Bowl, a competition of all U.S. Aerospace Medicine Residents.