MEDEVAC Matters

AMEDD – Army Medical Department. This Department is run by the Army Surgeon General and is responsible for training and deploying all medical resources for the Army. Its mission runs from providing battlefied aid through medics through MEDVAC to field hospitals and rehabilitation care for combat troops. It also runs the world’s 5th largest HMO through providing medical care to members of the Army and their dependents.

Apache (aka “Escort”, AH-64, ’64) – a U.S. Army armed attack helicopter used to support combat ground troops and to fly escort (“chase”) for other helicopters.

Black Hawk (UH-60 and variants) – the primary U.S. Army utility helicopter used for troop transport, cargo delivery, and MEDEVAC missions. Specifications for the Black Hawk are available here.

CAB – Combat Aviation Brigade

Dustoff – a term first used in the Vietnam war as a radio call sign for unarmed, marked medical evacuation helicopters flown by U.S. forces.

CASEVAC – Casualty Evacuation; non-medical casualty evaction platforms – may carry a Quick-Reaction force and provide close air support as well. (U.S. Army definition)

CSAR – Combat Search and Rescue; the principal duty for U.S. Air Force Pedro crews is to locate and rescue downed pilots. This role is uncommon in Afghanistan.

Geneva Convention – a treaty that establishes rules of behavior for signatories when at war with one another.

IRC – International Red Cross; an organization based in Switzerland that works to establish the rules of war as documented in agreements; historically provided battlefield medical aid to wounded combatants.

MEDEVAC – Medical Evacuation; dedicated special medical evacuation assets marked with a Red Cross – MEDEVAC platforms are non-combatant platforms (U.S. Army definition)

MERT (UK) – Medical Emergency Response Team; medical team consists of a doctor, an emergency nurse, and two paramedics. Capable of providing IV fluid, blood, powerful pain killers, anesthesia, and doing surgical procedures on board the MERT helicopter. Unlike the MEDEVAC (Dustoff) helicopters flown by the U.S. Army, the CH-47 Chinook is not painted with Red Cross symbols, and is armed with machine guns or mini-guns.

PECC  – Patient Evacuation Coordination Cell. The PECC is responsible for the planning and execution of all MEDEVAC tasks by ground, helicopter or airplane. The PECC co-ordinates with higher and sub-ordinate formations/units and internal staff branches of Aviation. The PECC supports the J1 branch for Patient Tracking and Reporting. The PECC either works within Med Branch or in the Operations Center dependent upon the precise structure of a HQ for a specific operation. It is usual for the PECC to be manned on a 24 hour basis and is the primary point of contact for the HQ Medical Branch.

Pedro – U.S. Air Force crews trained in CSAR and medical aid who fly in armed, unmarked HH-60 Pavehawk helicopters that do not require an escort by an attack helicopter.