Austere medicine redefined: Testing Air Transportable Clinic-Establish capabilities at Northern Edge 23-1

US Air Force Medicine | 2023-05-30

By Airman 1st Class Shelimar Rivera-Rosado

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman John Damouni, a water and fuel systems maintenance journeyman assigned to 773rd Civil Engineer Squadron, secures a solar panel system during an Agile Combat Employment air transportable clinic set up, during Northern Edge 23-1 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 9, 2023.
U.S. Air Force Senior Airman John Damouni, a water and fuel systems maintenance journeyman assigned to 773rd Civil Engineer Squadron, secures a solar panel system during an Agile Combat Employment air transportable clinic set up, during Northern Edge 23-1 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 9, 2023. NE 23-1 is one in a series of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command exercises designed to sharpen the joint forces’ skills; to practice tactics, techniques, and procedures; to improve command, control and communication relationships; and to develop cooperative plans and programs.

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, ALASKA: Northern Edge 23-1, a U.S. Indo-Pacific Command sponsored, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces led, multilateral, joint field training exercise, kicked off at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson on May 4, 2023. This exercise provided the opportunity to test the capabilities of the Air Transportable Clinic-Establish, a health service support device designed by the Pacific Air Forces’ Office of the Command Surgeon and a medical modernization team to support agile combat employment operations at forward operating bases.

The new clinic, transportable by aircraft, is equipped with specialized personnel and equipment that may be modified to support a range of scenarios at early stages of military operations.

“This capability will make us more agile and flexible in austere environments. We can pre-position equipment and people - so if we don't have the ability to evacuate patients by air, we can care for them longer in the field, and move them by ship or ground transportation," said U.S. Air Force Maj. Erica Simon, emergency medical services physician, and EMS consultant to the surgeon general.

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Austin Myers, left, Airman 1st Class Christopher Wolverton, center, and Airman 1st Class Matthew Jaeger, right, water and fuel systems maintenance personnel assigned to 773rd Civil Engineer Squadron, set up a solar panel system for an Agile Combat Employment tent air transportable clinic, during Northern Edge 23-1 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 9,
U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Austin Myers, left, Airman 1st Class Christopher Wolverton, center, and Airman 1st Class Matthew Jaeger, right, water and fuel systems maintenance personnel assigned to 773rd Civil Engineer Squadron, set up a solar panel system for an Agile Combat Employment tent air transportable clinic, during Northern Edge 23-1 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.
U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Matthew Jaeger, a water and fuel systems maintenance journeyman, left, assigned to 773rd Civil Engineer Squadron and defense contractor and electrical engineer Raymond Choy, assemble rafters for Agile Combat Employment air transportable clinic tents during Northern Edge 23-1 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 9, 2023.
U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Matthew Jaeger, a water and fuel systems maintenance journeyman, left, assigned to 773rd Civil Engineer Squadron and defense contractor and electrical engineer Raymond Choy, assemble rafters for Agile Combat Employment air transportable clinic tents during Northern Edge 23-1 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 9, 2023.
U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Matthew Jaeger, right, a water and fuel systems maintenance journeyman assigned to 773rd Civil Engineer Squadron, erects an Agile Combat Employment air transportable clinic tent, during Northern Edge 23-1 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 9, 2023.
U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Matthew Jaeger, right, a water and fuel systems maintenance journeyman assigned to 773rd Civil Engineer Squadron, erects an Agile Combat Employment air transportable clinic tent, during Northern Edge 23-1 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 9, 2023.
U.S. Air Force Senior Airman John Damouni, left, a water and fuel systems maintenance journeyman assigned to 773rd Civil Engineer Squadron, secures solar panels to an air transportable clinic tent at Camp Mad Bull, during Northern Edge 23-1, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 9, 2023.
U.S. Air Force Senior Airman John Damouni, left, a water and fuel systems maintenance journeyman assigned to 773rd Civil Engineer Squadron, secures solar panels to an air transportable clinic tent at Camp Mad Bull, during Northern Edge 23-1, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 9, 2023. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jen S. Martinez)
U.S. Air Force water and fuel systems maintenance personnel assigned to 773rd Civil Engineer Squadron, lay out a solar panel system for an Agile Combat Employment air transportable clinic, during Northern Edge 23-1 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 9, 2023.
U.S. Air Force water and fuel systems maintenance personnel assigned to 773rd Civil Engineer Squadron, lay out a solar panel system for an Agile Combat Employment air transportable clinic, during Northern Edge 23-1 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 9, 2023.
U.S. Air Force water and fuel systems maintenance personnel assigned to 773rd Civil Engineer Squadron, set up tents for an Agile Combat Employment air transportable clinic during Northern Edge 23-1 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 9, 2023.
U.S. Air Force water and fuel systems maintenance personnel assigned to 773rd Civil Engineer Squadron, set up tents for an Agile Combat Employment air transportable clinic during Northern Edge 23-1 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 9, 2023.
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Gudmundur Stephenson, left, a water and fuel systems maintenance supervisor assigned to 773rd Civil Engineer Squadron, erects a tent with defense contractor and electrical engineer, Raymond Choy, during a Northern Edge 23-1 Agile Combat Employment air transportable clinic set upat Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 9, 2023.
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Gudmundur Stephenson, left, a water and fuel systems maintenance supervisor assigned to 773rd Civil Engineer Squadron, erects a tent with defense contractor and electrical engineer, Raymond Choy, during a Northern Edge 23-1 Agile Combat Employment air transportable clinic set upat Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 9, 2023.
U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Austin Myers, a water and fuel systems maintenance supervisor assigned to 773rd Civil Engineer Squadron, secures a solar panel system to a tent frame during an Agile Combat Employment air transportable clinic set up, during Northern Edge 23-1 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 9, 2023.
U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Austin Myers, a water and fuel systems maintenance supervisor assigned to 773rd Civil Engineer Squadron, secures a solar panel system to a tent frame during an Agile Combat Employment air transportable clinic set up, during Northern Edge 23-1 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 9, 2023.
Electrical Engineer and defense contractor Raymond Choy, right, instructs members of the 773rd Civil Engineer Squadron how to wire the solar system for an Agile Combat Employment air transportable clinic at Camp Mad Bull, during Northern Edge 23-1 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 9, 2023.
Electrical Engineer and defense contractor Raymond Choy, right, instructs members of the 773rd Civil Engineer Squadron how to wire the solar system for an Agile Combat Employment air transportable clinic at Camp Mad Bull, during Northern Edge 23-1 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 9, 2023.
Alaska Air National Guard medical personnel with the 176th Medical Group talk through upcoming medical scenarios to prepare for practical exercises during Northern Edge 23-1 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 12, 2023.
Alaska Air National Guard medical personnel with the 176th Medical Group talk through upcoming medical scenarios to prepare for practical exercises during Northern Edge 23-1 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 12, 2023. NE 23-1 is a large-scale exercise that focuses on improving interchangeability in operations, techniques, and procedures while fostering seamless collaboration among service members from active duty, Reserve, and National Guard units. The exercise provides 176th Medical group personnel an opportunity to integrate and improve skills for Agile Combat Employment tactics.
U.S. Air Force Maj. Laura Delgado, 176th Medical Group Chief Nurse prepare for practical exercises during Northern Edge 23-1 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 12, 2023.
U.S. Air Force Maj. Laura Delgado, 176th Medical Group Chief Nurse prepare for practical exercises during Northern Edge 23-1 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 12, 2023.

The ATC-EST can stabilize and hold three critical patients for up to 24 hours and six non-critical patients for up to 48 hours. It can be deployed within 24 hours of notification, establish emergency room capabilities within two hours and critical care capability within four hours. It can reach full operational capabilities within eight hours of arrival.

“It is designed to treat anything from scrapes and bruises to trauma patients for combat scenarios,” said James Sandvig, program manager for PACAF’s Medical Modernization Division. “The capabilities have been designed to do the entire spectrum of care from minor injuries through trauma support.”

Northern Edge 23-1 provides a venue to test and evaluate the capabilities of the ATC-EST. It will also help identify equipment which should be added and what training is needed to ensure personnel working with it are effective.

“We are here [participating in Northern Edge] to get reps and sets; to perfect our trade. We know tomorrow's fight will not resemble our experiences of the Global War on Terrorism,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Laura Delgado, 176th Medical Group Chief Nurse.

During the exercise, the team was also able to test the capabilities of autonomous solar capabilities on the ATC-EST that reduces the need for fuel.

“PACAF is leading the way with this ACE initiative,” said Simons. “As a consultant, to have the opportunity to come out here and advise it’s incredibly

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