Medical evacuation conference set to enhance Afghan army capabilities

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Richard Williams
  • 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan (AFNS) --  Members of the Afghan National Army Air Corps met with their coalition partners during a medical evacuation conference March 6 here.

The purpose of the conference was coordination between ANAAC and coalition medical evacuation units to streamline and improve processes, said Maj. Peter Gross, an advisor and mentor to the ANAAC for air command and control, 438th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group/Combined Air Power Task Force.

"The purpose of this meeting is to coordinate between the different pieces in the medevac process," said Col. Abdul Rasoul, the ANAAC surgeon general. "This way we have better coordination between Bagram (Airfield) and other assets and are able to move patients in a timely manner."

Colonel Rasoul stressed the importance of the medical evacuation mission as a confidence builder for the Afghan people on the capabilities of the ANAAC. He said they are working to improve their ability to move patients in an efficient, effective manner and get them to medical attention as they need it along with getting them back to their home regions.

"We are building relationships," Major Goss said. "Even though we will redeploy, the Afghans who are here today will still be here accomplishing these missions long after we are gone and their children will take over these missions."

Secondly, the major said, the relationships built and conferences like these will help the joint mission goal which is to eventually hand all Afghan medical evacuation missions off to the ANAAC.

He added that conferences like these lay the foundation for fledgling programs like medical evacuation to become successful and assist the Afghan's in building their country.