New course trains medical teams in Pacific Published Oct. 1, 2008 By Maj. Sam Highley 13th Air Force Public Affairs HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii (AFNS) -- Critical care specialists from the Air Force, Army and Navy are training on moving seriously ill patients in the Pacific theater at a Sept. 29 through Oct. 3 course being held here. The aeromedical evacuation regulating organization for U.S. Pacific Command, 13th Air Force's Theater Patient Movement Requirements Center-Pacific, is hosting the inaugural Joint Medical Attendant Transport Team Training Course. The one-week course is a shortened version of the Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine's two-week Critical Care Air Transport Team Course and will be taught by the same instructors. Training will focus on the aeromedical evacuation mission and equipment proficiency skills. Lt. Col. (Dr.) Lynda Vu, the validating flight surgeon for TPMRC-P, said the 5,300-nautical-mile distance in the theater between Okinawa, Japan and California and the limited divert options across the vast Pacific Ocean pose huge challenges to the safe air transport of critically ill patients. Given these challenges, the Pacific Air Forces surgeon recently began developing safer options for the transport of critically ill patients. "As a result, we now have dedicated JMATT personnel in Okinawa -- our Pacific aeromedical evacuation hub -- and we paid for qualified medical personnel from our sister services in South Korea, Guam, Okinawa and Hawaii to attend the formal CCATT course at the Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine at Brooks City-Base, Texas," Colonel Vu said. "Now, with the mobile JMATT course in Hawaii, we have a way to get that same training while also saving travel expenses and time for all participants." Current JMATT personnel are located in Okinawa, Guam and Hawaii, providing easy accessibility of trained critical care medical attendants for most of the critical patients originating from the PACOM theater, Colonel Vu said. "This inaugural JMATT class will add the clinical expertise of another 24 critical care physicians, nurses and technicians to PACOM's arsenal of specialized aeromedical attendants," she said. In addition to training U.S. Airmen, Soldiers and Sailors, three civilian members of Hawaii's Disaster Medical Assistance Team and two Royal Australian Air Force physicians will attend. Colonel Vu said additional support for this course was provided by many agencies including active duty Air Force and Army units, Hawaii Air National Guard units, and a Hawaii Air Force Reserve unit. "Making this course as successful as possible has required the joint efforts of personnel from multiple agencies," Colonel Vu said. "We would not be able to provide such a broad, high quality experience for our participants without the help from our joint colleagues." Comment on this story (comments may be published on Air Force Link) View the comments/letters page