Page 115 - JSOM Winter 2025

“All for One”—More than a Motto

Review of the 7th Combat Medical Care Conference, 2 and 3 July 2025

Florent Josse *; Daniela Lenard 2
1

he Combat Medical Care Conference (CMC) 2025, NATO valuable lessons for casualty care in modern combat
held on 2 and 3 July, vividly demonstrated what can be environments. Emerging weapon systems and their medical
Tachieved when expertise, camaraderie, and the determi- consequences were also addressed. A recurring theme across
nation to act come together. With more than 1,400 participants all presentations was the necessity of strategic adaptability—
from over 45 nations, the CMC 2025 was not only one of the no future conflict will be solved with today’s operational
largest but also one of the most significant international sym- planning alone. At the same time, planning, preparation, and
posia on tactical casualty care in the context of military and training remain crucial contributions to preventing conflict
police operations. Medics, paramedics, nurses, and physicians escalation.
gathered under this year’s guiding principle “All for One.”
The Israeli Model
Yet behind this familiar phrase lies far more than literary ro-
manticism. It represents a deeply rooted understanding of sol- The Israeli approach emphasizes reducing echelons of care
idarity, mutual support, and a clear objective: delivering the in favor of highly specialized medical interventions closer to
best possible care for the wounded—whether in deployment, the point of injury. This enables rapid treatment near the bat-
crisis, or combat. tlefield—particularly for mobile and urban operations (e.g.,
Gaza)—with evacuation averaging just 66 minutes.
Given the current security environment, ongoing conflicts
worldwide, and the urgent need to prepare for national and Core principles of the model include maximum adaptability,
alliance defense, one fact remains unchanged, the quality of readiness to change, willingness to abandon established stan-
initial care determines survival. dards when necessary (“know-how sometimes less”), and sys-
tematic data collection.
As U.S. Army surgeon Dr. Nicholas Senn stated as early as
1889: “The fate of the wounded rests in the hands of those Despite rising Injury Severity Scores (ISS), case fatality rates
who apply the first dressing.” This insight was not only a guid- (CFR) were reduced from 15% to 6.9%.
ing principle but also the red thread throughout the lectures,
workshops, and discussions at this year’s CMC in Ulm and The Ukrainian Model
Blaubeuren. The importance of first responder care—through
self-aid, buddy-aid, and trained emergency personnel—was Ukrainian applies a well-documented tiered system with stabi-
underscored by realistic scenarios, operational case studies, lization points 5–10 km from the frontline, where basic surgery,
and practical training. Outcomes depend largely on the quality resuscitation, and primary care are provided. Limited mobil-
of these first measures—long before advanced medical support ity and constant threats from drones and artillery often force
becomes available. medical facilities to be established 6–7 meters underground.
Key lessons included the necessity of training non-medical
Focus Areas of CMC 2025 personnel to act independently, the burden of chronic diseases
among older soldiers, and the growing relevance of dental care
Under the scientific leadership of the Department of Anesthesi- at brigade level.
ology, Intensive Care, Emergency Medicine, and Pain Therapy
(AINS) at Bundeswehr Hospital Ulm, and in cooperation with Requirements for Future Medical Support
numerous national and international partners, CMC once
again offered a broad program, including over 30 workshops. Future systems must be resilient and agile, able to shift be-
tween hospital-centered and echeloned models depending on
The focus was clearly set on the transition in warfare from the
Global War on Terror (GWOT) model to Large-Scale Combat the conflict environment. New weapons, including thermobar-
Operations (LSCOs) and the implications for medical support. ics, directed-energy systems, and drones, pose fresh challenges,
Comparative insights were drawn from the Israeli–Palestinian often turning the electronic signature of a medical facility into
conflict and the ongoing Russian–Ukrainian war—offering a target.
*Correspondence to florentjosse@bundeswehr.org
1 Florent Josse and Daniela Lenard are affiliated with Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care, Emergency Medicine and Pain Therapy
2
(AINS), Bundeswehr Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany.
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