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Marines, Romanian forces partner for crucial casualty evacuation test

US Marine Corps News

5/16/2010
By Cpl. R. Logan Kyle, Black Sea Rotational Force

BABADAG TRAINING AREA, Romania — Marines and Sailors deployed with Black Sea Rotational Force, in close partnership with Romanian air and naval forces, took a crucial step in their deployment with a successful casualty evacuation rehearsal exercise, May 14.

“The Romanian forces had remarkable responsiveness,” said U.S. Marine Lt. Col. Tom Gordon, the commander of the Marines and Sailors deployed to Romania for Black Sea Rotational Force. “I was extremely impressed. I have full trust and confidence that should a Marine, Sailor or partner-nation military member be injured during training, the Romanian forces are fully prepared to provide top-rate care.”

For the exercise, the Romanian air force airlifted a casualty with a simulated gunshot wound from Babadag Training Area to a hospital in Constanta, Romania, via a Romanian IAR-330 “Puma” helicopter. The Romanian Naval Forces provided additional coordination on the ground to ensure the exercise went smoothly. Gordon said the exercise demonstrated the ability for multiple branches of the Romanian military to work with United States Marines as a cohesive team.

The goal for the exercise was to demonstrate that U.S. and Romanian troops could complete a casualty evacuation within the “Golden Hour,” the standard that an injured troop must reach a medical treatment facility that can provide the appropriate level of care within one hour’s time.

Gordon said the Romanian forces were able to transport the simulated casualty “well within” the hour timeline.

The importance of the exercise is so that U.S. and Romanian forces can begin peacekeeping operations training, May 17, with knowledge that Marines, Sailors and Romanian forces are ready, even in the worst-case scenario.

“This exercise demonstrated that in the event of a real-world emergency, the Romanians and Americans can work in partnership to save a life,” said U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Jesse Tossetti, senior medical department representative for Black Sea Rotational Force., and a native of San Bernadino, Calif. “The Romanians and Americans worked in a seamless partnership to complete the exercise in a flawless manner.”

Black Sea Rotational Force is a multi-year commitment by Marine Corps Forces Europe to deploy United States-based Marines to installations in Europe on a rotating basis. In 2010, the force has deployed as a Security Cooperation Marine Air-Ground Task Force, designed to promote regional stability, build enduring partnerships and increase the military capacity of Romania and other partner nations in the Black Sea, Caucasus and Balkan regions.

The Black Sea Rotational Force will officially begin May 17, in a joint ceremony with U.S. and Romanian troops. Following the ceremony, U.S. and Romanian land, sea and air forces will commence peacekeeping operations training at Babadag Training Area.

This Security Cooperation MAGTF marks the first deployment of this kind of United States Marines to the Black Sea region. 1st Tank Battalaion, out of Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., forms the core of the MAGTF, with the command, logistics combat and ground combat elements. 1st Tank Bn. is reinforced by Marine Corps Forces Reserve's 4th Civil Affairs Group, and is scheduled to be supported by a detachment from Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 452.