CASEVAC HMs

[Doc_D]

Greetings Ya'll,

Im writing this post to see if there are any CASEVAC HMs out there and what kind of quals you needed prior to getting accepted to the training. Any and all replies are greatly appreciated.

v/R

Doc D

[Taylor]

Casevac Hm?

[0311_DoC]

Or do you mean SAR NEC 8401 ?

[cleanstick]

i thought the army had casevac at the moment...?

[0311_DoC]

well as far as i know CASEVAC refers to a casualty evacuation. I have never heard of the job descriptions as a flight medic or a flight crew corpsman referred to in that manner.

[MAWDoc]

Greetings Ya'll,

Im writing this post to see if there are any CASEVAC HMs out there and what kind of quals you needed prior to getting accepted to the training. Any and all replies are greatly appreciated.

v/R

Doc D

Doc D,

There is a "CASEVAC" Corpsman, but it is not an NEC or a billet to PCS into. The need arose early on in Iraq to have corpsman on a "911 status" for heliborne evacuation of battlefield wounded, and has developed into a formal pipeline over the past 5 years. There is a formal course of instruction taught on each coast, that has a Course Identification Number (CIN), but there is no associated NEC.

CASEVAC is Casualty Evacuation. A CASEVAC is the transportation of wounded personnel from point of injury (POI) to Level II or Level III facilities for care. A MEDEVAC, conversely (Medical Evacuation) is from one place of care to another (Level II to Level III, ie). Otherwise, same thing. One involves landing in an improvized/hasty LZ, sometimes with enemy forces in vicinity, while the other is fixed/established LZ with minimal security risk to another. Doesn't mean either is less urgent - depending on the priority of the patient(s).

The basic requirements include:

1) Be found physically qualified and aeronautically adapted for Duties Involving Flight (DIF) during a Class II Flight Physical, meeting Designated Flight Surgeon standards, versus Rotary Wing Aircrew Candidate standards, which are significantly stricter. You can find these in P-117 Manual of the Medical Department, Chapter 15, Article 65.

2) Attend Operational Emergency Medical Skills Course (OEMS), Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) or equivalent training.

3) Complete the Rotary Wing Casualty Evacuation Course run at the appropriate MEF (Marine Expeditionary Force) - East Coast is done at SOTG in Stone Bay, and is a 3 week course.

4) Complete N7 and N9 Naval Aerospace Water Survival Training and Physiology (dunker, HABD, Class II swim, etc)

5) Be any HM NEC organically assigned to the FMF (meaning, you must carry the 8404 NEC). Can be an 8406, 8425, 8432, etc, but SNEC as 8404.

6) Have a need. Right now, only a couple with the MEUs - and usually, they will with the ACE - organic to the HMM(Reinforced), and likely already on skins as AO/Gs.

There is a program, there is a CASEVAC corpsman. I just got back in February from Taqaddum as the II MEF Casualty Evacuation Team LCPO, with 25 Sailors flying in CH-46Es. We turned over to the Army while there due to a significant drop in requirement (we're not getting blown up nearly as much as in years past).

We did get flight pay, earned Air Medals, and Combat Aircrew Wings. From my experience, the docs on the ground are the ones that really made the difference in morbidity. The battalion/company corpsmen in the fight did an outstanding job taking care of their Marines - we just got them to a surgeon quickly, and made sure that the interventions the ground corpsmen applied kept doing their job.

I would say that the days of massive CASEVAC detachments to Iraq are over...sorry. PM me if you want more specific details about the program.

S/F-

[MCDGexx]

i thought the army had casevac at the moment...?

That is what I was told as well. My squadron that i'm going to, HMH-362, is going out there in I think Feb 09, so hopefully we take it back by then. *crosses fingers*

[MAWDoc]

That is what I was told as well. My squadron that i'm going to, HMH-362, is going out there in I think Feb 09, so hopefully we take it back by then. *crosses fingers*

Shitters never had the mission. Phrogs Phorever...and nothing out of Camp Cupcake, anyway.

I'd suggest getting into the AO&G syllabus if you want to get flight time & $$$.

Good luck!
R/
Chief