requests from all services--US Army, USN and USAF--within the theater and compares
them to the bed status reports from COMMZ hospitals. With this information, the JMRO
is able to regulate the flow of patients---regardless of service---throughout the TO, thus
assuring a more efficient utilization of hospital beds. In the event no JMRO has been
established, the MEDCOM MRO assumes the functions of the JMRO.
7-25. PATIENT EVACUATION
a. Air Movement. The primary means of moving patients from the combat zone
to the COMMZ and within COMMZ is by means of the USAF Airlift System. In order to
have patients moved, the MEDCOM MRO submits requests to the AECC (para 7-21a),
indicating the desired departure and arrival airfields (based upon the locations of
patients and the hospital centers designated to receive them).
(1) Scheduling of aircraft. The AECC coordinates the aeromedical
evacuation requirements with aerial resupply missions into the combat zone. To the
maximum extent possible, retrograde tactical aircraft are used for aeromedical
evacuation missions. When required, special mission aircraft may be allocated to
accomplish the mission. After coordination is complete, the AECC furnishes detailed
flight schedules to the MEDCOM MRO, indicating on-load and destination airfields,
number of patients to be moved, and the USAF mission numbers of the aircraft. The
MRO, in turn, disseminates the information to his subordinate MRO's.
(2) Movement of patients to departure airfields. Medical group MRO's
inform their MTF of the number of patients to be evacuated from each departure airfield,
the mission numbers of the evacuation aircraft, and the arrival and departure time of the
aircraft. They also designate ambulance units to support each hospital in moving the
patients. Each facility, supported by designated ambulance units, then moves its
patients to the appropriate departure airfield(s). At each airfield, the USAF aeromedical
evacuation squadron operates an MASF (para 7-16b) to hold patients pending loading
on aircraft. These holding facilities are limited, so the time frame during which patients
must arrive at the MASF is generally limited to no earlier than 3 hours prior to the
aircraft's arrival or no later than 1 hour prior to departure.
(3) Movement of patients to destination. Once patients are delivered to the
MASF. The USAF assumes control of them until they are off loaded at the destination
airfield. Patients are met by a sorting team from the hospital center, upon arrival at
each destination airfield. At this point the AMEDD once again assumes control.
Patients are then sorted and transported to the designated general hospitals.
b. Ground Movement. It may not always be possible (or advisable) to move all
patients by aircraft from the combat zone to the COMMZ.
(1)
Some reasons for evacuating patients by ground transportation are the
following:
MD0002
7-25