Word Games
Just a reminder of the official US Army position on the need to make changes to MEDEVAC policies and procedures. This is the final three paragraphs of the statement issued by the Army Chief of Public Affairs on January 20, 2012 following the CBS Evening News segment on the death of SPC Chazray Clark: “Further, … Continue reading
Aerial Camouflage – Why It’s Not Easy Being Green…with White Patches and Red Crosses
The recent discussions about removing the Red Crosses on white backgrounds from the Army’s MEDEVAC helicopters created quite an uproar from Army leadership. They based their arguments against doing so mostly on a misunderstanding the terms of the Geneva Convention. They also disregarded an opinion issued in October 2008 by the Army’s Judge Advocate General … Continue reading
How the Army is slow to meet MEDEVAC Challenges in the 21st Century
This timeline shows important milestones in Army MEDEVAC operations in the 21st Century. On the left side of the timeline are Army/Army Medical Department actions, and on the right side are important reports and challenges faced by Army MEDEVAC operations. The history of the MEDEVAC units in the US Army is a long and proud … Continue reading
The real reason why Army MEDEVAC helicopters fly unarmed
Since the Vietnam War era, there has been a tension between the MEDEVAC force and the Army’s combat arms force. At the time MEDEVAC operated with functional autonomy on the battlefield as a Army Corps level unit. During that war when a request for MEDEVAC was received a helicopter was dispatched from the MEDEVAC fleet … Continue reading
US Army Report: 2011 After action report blasts MEDEVAC shortcomings
United States Central Command Joint Theater Trauma System HQ, BAF, APO, AE 09354 MEMORANDUM FOR RECORD 7 February 2011 SUBJECT: After action report for MEDCOM Tasker 1039.01C. (90 Day TSC deployment of an Emergency Physician to serve as the medical director for Enroute Critical Care Nurses (ECCN) and MEDEVAC units performing patient evacuation in the … Continue reading
Yon: 66 minutes is not 59 minutes
“The Army campaign around the MEDEVAC continues to unravel. They’ve tried just about everything short of assassination and witchcraft to freeze the growing stampede. In the beginning, they claimed that my accounts of the failed MEDEVAC were completely wrong. And then I produced the inconvenient high definition video and audio. Undeterred, the Army has continued … Continue reading
Yon: Tippity Top General attempts to Deceive Congressman (in writing)
“Happy Valentine’s Day. It isn’t Valentine’s for those who will get hit with bullets or bombs today. And it will happen. So let’s get down to business. The top officer in the US Military is the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Chairman is the principal military advisor to President Obama. Recently, Congressman … Continue reading
Letter from Chazray Clark’s Mother
A letter from Chazray Clark’s Mother asking for a change to U.S. Army Evacuation Policies: Hello to all American Citizens at home and abroad. My name is Keyko Clark-Davis and I am a military parent whose first-born son, Army SPC Chazray Clark was killed in Kandahar, Afghanistan on 18 Sept 2011. The fact that my … Continue reading
Yon: 17 Members of Congress Want Answers on MEDEVAC
The following letter dated February 3, 2012 from Members of Congress to Secretary of Defense Panetta was reproduced on Michael Yon’s blog:
U.S. Army Chief PAO: Army statement on MEDEVAC issue
WASHINGTON (Jan. 20, 2012) — Statement by the Chief Public Affairs Officer – U.S. Army “Recent news items about the use of Army medical evacuation, or MEDEVAC, helicopters in Afghanistan contain troubling information. The reporting suggests that putting red crosses on MEDEVACs, and not arming them somehow, is putting injured Soldiers’ lives at risk. The … Continue reading
U.S. Army Chief of Staff letter to Senator Jon Kyl
Comment David L. Bishop, Brigadier General, US Army responds to an inquiry from Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) about the death of SPC Chazray Clark. The General dutifully repeats the Army’s refrain that 98.5% of all evacuations are made within 60 minutes in Regional Command-South and claims that SPC Clark’s was completed in 59 minutes. One … Continue reading
Yon: Fool’s Gold – Video from SPC Chazray Clark’s MEDEVAC Wait
[snip] “This combat video was made in September 2011 in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. A bomb was planted in our path. A young, highly-liked Soldier named Chazray Clark triggered the blast. Chazray lost an arm and both legs. Despite great pain, Chazray was awake and lucid the entire time. A tragedy was unfolding. The US military, … Continue reading
YON: Golden Seconds
[snip]…”The Golden Hour is crucial to survival of the seriously wounded. There also are Golden Minutes. The already-bleeding wounded are not the only ones in danger. The casualties provide a golden opportunity for the enemy to shoot down a helicopter and attack the preoccupied ground force. For the incoming helicopters, and ground forces in combat, … Continue reading
YON: Red Air – America’s Medevac Failure [the article that started it all]
…”The medevac was very late. It took us about 20 minutes to get back to the Landing Zone (LZ). Based on my significant experience down here in southern Afghanistan, I know that the helicopter could and should have already been on orbit waiting for us. Chazray was dying but fully conscious and talking the entire … Continue reading
2011-05-24 Secretary Gates Blasts Pentagon’s Resistance to Change
Secretary of Defense Gates embarked on a series of speeches in the Spring and early Summer of 2011, reflecting on the successes and challenges of his tenure. In this speech he draws attention to institutional obstacles to change within the Pentagon. Given the official responses to the MEDEVAC issues being raised, it appears that Secretary … Continue reading
MEDEVAC Matters 