US Air Force 920th Rescue Wing develops embedded medical team

The 920th Rescue Wing’s Aeromedical Staging Squadron of the US Air Force has developed a new embedded medical team, the Tactical Medical Augmentation Team (TMAT).

This small team is formed of highly skilled and adaptable medical personnel and can use the wing’s Personnel Recovery Task Force (PRTF) presentation to move higher levels of medical care further forward to wounded warriors and allow pararescuemen and specialty teams to remain closer to the battlefield.

“This capability increases pararescue’s overall mission effectiveness and serves as a force multiplier for combatant and medical commanders in future conflicts,” said Maj. Alexander Torres, TMAT Team Officer In Charge. “It delivers advanced medical care further forward than previous capabilities.”

The TMAT can be formed in three compositions: light, medium and heavy packages. The total team size of a heavy team is comprised of six individuals: one physician, two nurses and three paramedics. A medium team is made up of four members: one physician, one nurse and two paramedics. In the light model, and for maximum adaptability, the team is composed of two members and can be any combination of physician, nurse and/or paramedic depending on mission requirements.

The team physicians will be trained in emergency medicine, critical care, anaesthesia, or trauma surgery. The nurses will be emergency or trauma trained with trauma and critical care certifications. The paramedics will have advanced training and certification as flight paramedics, thereby providing them with additional critical care and ventilation skills not seen in standard paramedic training.

The heavy crew can provide prolonged field care for 72 hours, the medium for 48 hours, and the light for 24-hours. This provides support options when patients can’t be evacuated and need care until transportation is an option or when geographic challenges prevent immediate transport.

Modern medical assets

The team will be able to use the Wing’s rotor and fixed-wing rescue assets as a force multiplier, that doesn’t rely on transportation outside of the Wing. The PTRFs can utilize the land and water assets such as the wing’s Search and Recovery Tactical Vehicles or inflatable boats. Wherever they can get to patients, not only can they provide care, but they can also get them transported on any asset the PRTF can provide.

“Many patient care teams do not have dedicated platforms to evacuate patients,” said Senior Master Sgt. Matthew Harmon, TMAT Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge. “By utilizing organic assets in the PRTF, TMAT is able to rapidly bring a higher level of care further forward to patients allowing pararescue to continue to work tactical problems.”

The 920th Aeromedical Staging Squadron have developed a lightweight and adaptable equipment allowance and validated its functionality in various transportation platforms.

The US Air Force spoke to AirMed&Rescue earlier this year about how Air Mobility Command provides time-sensitive movement of casualties to and between medical treatment facilities.