Page 140 - Journal of Special Operations Medicine - Winter 2016

Photograph by Bryan Ferreira and the 2nd Para Bn/KTM. Photograph by Bryan Ferreira and the 2nd Para Bn/KTM. Photograph by Bryan Ferreira and the 2nd Para Bn/KTM.

their procedures. A MASCAL can be defined as a sit- Conclusion
uation in which there is an excessive gap between the
casualty load and medical capabilities, for its conven- The Portuguese 2nd Para BN, as do other Special
tional management. It demands an organized medical Forces, gives special relevance to casualty care in the
approach in which the concept of First Person on Scene, battlefield. Whether it is in a VBIED terrorist attack in
Casualty Collection Point, and triage is essential. The a UN peace mission, or in a combat jump in a major
risk of attack on camp with a vehicle-borne improvised airborne assault behind enemy lines, the BN trains to
explosive device (VBIED) is big and medical training is keep its medical skills sharp in case of need. TCCC is
a priority to maintain the readiness of the soldiers and just one more skill the Portuguese paratroopers have in
increase the operational flexibility facing situations that their heavy jump bag.
are always unpredictable.

Portuguese Armed Forces have participated in many
multinational operations with NATO, the United Na- Dr Ferreira is a doctor of dental surgery and a paramedic
(EMT-P) with extensive experience in remote medicine around
tions (UN), and the European Union, and the para- the world. He is an American citizen and has lived in Portugal
troopers have been in most of them. This makes it very for several years. He is also specialized in Advanced Tactical
important that they have interoperability with their al- Casualty Care and has collaborated several times with the Por-
lies, including with medical procedures. While deployed tuguese Armed Forces, especially the Army and Navy Special
to Kosovo, the 2nd Para BN is part of the NATO KFOR Forces. Another passion of his is military photography, so he
Tactical Reserve Maneuver BN (KTM) and has also embeds regularly with the military and publishes articles, with
been doing cross training with medical teams from Hun- unique photographs, in his own Online Tactical Magazine—
gary and the United States on the KTM MASCAL Plan. The Way of the Warrior(s) (www.warriors.pt).
Even though Portugal has Combat Search and Rescue E-mail: bryanferreira@gmail.com.
EH101 helicopters, they are not deployed to Kosovo, so
the BN depends on its NATO partners in country for air
medical evacuations.

Photograph by Bryan Ferreira and the 2nd Para Bn/KTM.

124 Journal of Special Operations Medicine Volume 16, Edition 4/Winter 2016