How Modeling and Simulation Can Support MEDEVAC Training

Airborne medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) is vital for maintaining a safe lifeline for military personnel in tactical operations. Medical evacuation must be reliable and efficient, independent of the threat level of the operation. Not only must the medical personnel be proficient in trauma surgery, they also must be able to work as a team in the confined environment of a helicopter. The various stages of MEDEVAC training reviewed in this paper, from individual skill training to full-scale, applied tactical training, lend themselves to a variety of simulation tools and devices. Promising modeling and simulation methods and tools for training individuals, teams, and taskforces are identified. Finally, we discuss how present and future means of modeling and simulation can support and enable MEDEVAC training to meet today’s changing and challenging missions.