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
Norwegian MEDEVAC Copter – No Red Crosses
The Norwegian Aeromedical Detachment force provide MEDEVAC support under NATO’s management of MEDEVAC and medical services in Afghanistan. This photo from a 3 minute video filmed in April 2012 about Norwegian MEDEVAC missions shows that if the Norwegian helicopter has external markings all it is simply “ISAF” on its side doors. Some fly without even … Continue reading
Is the Red Cross a Neutral Symbol to Afghans?
Journalist Michael Yon has written about the cultural importance of our MEDEVAC helicopters showing Red Cross symbols on them in a Muslim society. Here is a photo of a poster displaying banned symbols From Yon’s article: An Afghan friend translates: *Destroying the cross is an Islamic obligation* 1. Christians want to publish and spread their … 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
Point-Counterpoint: Geneva Convention Applicability to the U.S. in Afghanistan
A familiar argument against changing the Army’s MEDEVAC policies is that the United States is a signatory state on the Geneva Convention and we are prohibited from providing medical evacuation to wounded troops in unmarked, armed helicopters. The argument often is buttressed by the admonition that even if our adversaries (the Taliban and al Qaeda) … Continue reading
Politico.com: Should Army medevacs be armed?
Politico.com By CHARLES HOSKINSON| 1/25/12 10:23 PM EST “A contentious debate over arming Army medevac helicopters sparked by the death of a soldier whose wounding in Afghanistan was videotaped by an embedded blogger is spilling into the halls of Congress.” [snip] “This is an issue that has been subjected to considerable review by senior, experienced, … Continue reading
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
Big Peace: A Pilot’s Perspective on Michael Yon’s Medevac Debate
By Bill Tuttle “Connectivity, lack thereof, being what it is over here in Afghanistan, I was aware of the latest brouhaha Mike Yon has started about medevacs having target markers — ummm — big red crosses painted on them so we’d be in compliance with the Geneva Accords. I figured the controversy, which … Continue reading
American Thinker: Army MEDEVAC Choppers Travesty
By Robert J. Mack “Why are MEDEVAC helicopters (commonly called “Dustoffs”), carrying our wounded troops to safety in Afghanistan, being put at enormous risk by the U.S. Army? Why is the Geneva Convention cited by them for their actions? With every second precious when soldiers are wounded, it is a travesty that the Army will … Continue reading
MEDEVAC Matters 