Michael's Dispatches

Found this online at the Borden Institute, an agency of the US Army Medical Department Center & School in a book called A History of U.S. Army Aeromedical Evacuation from Conception to Hurricane Katrina ... "In early 2002, the 3d Brigade, 101st Airborne Division was deployed to Kandahar to replace the Marine task force there. Its support package included one of the air assault battalions and the attached 50th Med Co (AA) Forward Support MEDEVAC Team (FSMT) consisting of 18 soldiers and three UH-60s, under the command of Capt. James Stanley ... When he arrived back at Fort Campbell, Stanley of the 50th wrote a detailed after-action report. In it he cited several issues: 1. MEDEVAC launches were delayed because of launch approval issues. At one point, approval was maintained by a Major General who was occasionally hard to contact. Launch authority should rest with the aviation brigade or battalion commander.
2. Army MEDEVAC needed to move away from its unarmed approach when functioning in combat operations. On many occasions U.S. Air Force HH-60s were used for recoveries because of the enemy threat."
(Chapter 9, Again, Into Battle, 2001-2003, http://www.bordeninstitute.army.mil/other_pub/dustoff/Dustoffch9.pdf)

Hi Yon,

I just read Moment of Truth and have to say it was life changing. My father was in Vietnam and I have never read or heard anyone speak so clearly of the virtues of many of the men in uniform. The men in the book, especially the men of the Deuce-Four have inspired me to be a better husband and father.

Regarding the MEDEVAC issue you have been discussing--do you think the point can be made that while it creates greater danger for our soldiers and marines--adhering to the Geneva Convention in this case keeps us on the moral high ground?

Whether or not Dustoff MEDEVAC helicopters wear the Red Cross is not for the US Army Medical Department (AMEDD) to decide. Nor are they liable to come up with initiatives of that kind. Any turf battle ideas in this regard are plain ridiculous. AMEDD’s ownership of the MEDEVAC helicopters has nothing to do with it either.
There is a need to have the Red Cross wearing helicopters in the Armed Forces. That will not change. JCS has already made a report where it states unequivocally that the MEDEVAC system currently in place is not going to become subject to any reforms in this regard.
The US Army Dustoff MEDEVAC helicopters, unarmed and thus designated by the Red Cross on them are an integral part of the US and allied forces inventory serving as one of the two primary helicopter medical evacuation assets in Afghanistan. US Army “Dustoff” flights, just as well as the US Air Force “Pedro” flights, are not restricted to MEDEVAC operations only, but can be used in a variety of missions where an unarmed MEDEVAC helicopter is essential.
While there is no obligation under the Geneva Conventions to wear the Red Cross, the decision to use one as a designator of unarmed helicopters rests with the JCS. The Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF) decision matrix on MEDEVAC asset allocation along with the Patient Evacuation Coordination Cell (PECC) decision-making processes are the only segments subject to possible reevaluation.
The conclusion is that:
1. The Red Cross is not going from the Dustoff MEDEVAC helicopters.
2. The Dustoff MEDEVAC helicopters will remain unarmed.
3. Battlespace owner’s MEDEVAC asset allocation and patient evacuation decision-making policies are subject to a thorough reevaluation.