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U.S. Medical Personnel Deploy to Africa for MEDFLAG 2003

Navy Newsstand

Story Number: NNS030904-04 Release Date: 9/5/2003 3:08:00 AM

From U.S. Naval Hospital Rota, Spain Public Affairs

ER-RACHIDIA, Morocco (NNS) -- Approximately 100 U.S. military medical personnel will deploy to Morocco, Africa, Sept. 6, to conduct MEDFLAG 2003, a humanitarian relief operation and joint medical training with the Moroccan military.

The annual exercise rotates annually among African countries, providing direct humanitarian medical outreach to outlying communities, as well as providing real-world training opportunities for U.S. and host nation medical personnel, thereby increasing interoperability between the medical forces.

MEDFLAG 2003 will be conducted in cooperation with the Moroccan military from Sept. 6-20, and is divided into three distinct phases. The first phase consists of medical training with Moroccan medical personnel in a variety of subject areas, including emergency medicine, triage, stabilization, evacuation, public affairs and disaster preparedness training.

During the second phase, Moroccan medical personnel will engage their disaster response services in a real world mass casualty scenario exercise. Using the latest in medical make-up and latex injury reproductions, realistic casualties will be created to test Moroccan military medical response personnel and civilian medical teams. The disaster response teams will be mobilized to triage, stabilize, and evacuate the simulated casualties to local hospitals for advanced evaluation and treatment. A performance review will be conducted to assist in process improvement.

In the final phase, Moroccan and U.S. medical personnel will provide a wide range of on-site medical and surgical services in outlaying communities, to include general surgery, ophthalmology surgery, basic medical evaluation and treatment, preventive medicine treatment, dental screenings and treatment, optometry screenings, eyewear distribution and public health training. Approximately 2.5 million dollars in medicine and medical supplies will be used in the treatment of patients.

Units participating in the exercise include U.S. military personnel from all branches of the armed forces and include U.S. Naval Hospital Rota, Spain; U.S. Naval Forces Europe; U.S. Air Forces Europe; U.S. Naval Medical Center Bethesda, Md.; U.S. Naval Medical Center San Diego; U.S. Naval Dental Center Naples, Italy; 464th U.S. Army Medical Company Landstuhl/Miesaw.

MEDFLAG 2003 reinforces the United States commitment to cooperation, stability and interoperability in the region.