Page 113 - JSOM Winter 2018

Overview of the Combat Medical Care (CMC) Conference 2018

Lieutenant Colonel Dr Florent Josse, Military Medical Center Ulm

s an international symposium on Tactical Combat
Casualty Care provided in military and police opera-
Ations, the Combat Medical Care (CMC) Conference
was held for the third time for medical and rescue personnel,
nursing staff, and physicians on 29–30 June 2018 in Neu-Ulm,
Germany.
Under this year’s motto “Who Cares Wins,” 1,300 participants
from more than 32 nations attended a unique international
platform that offered military, police, special forces, rescue, di-
saster control, and fire brigade personnel the opportunities to
exchange information on the subject of tactical medicine and
to share their experiences. More than 50 exhibitors provided
participants information on the latest products for the provi- CMC 2020 Save the Date
sion of initial medical care in case of combat-related injuries.
service officers and paramedics. On operations abroad, they
On the first evening, the legendary CMC Get Together Party, often had to work under difficult conditions and were con-
which is the social highlight of the conference, took place at fronted with severe injuries. In Germany, wounds caused by
the Roxy Cultural Center in Ulm. After the European Best high-velocity projectiles or blast injuries are mostly unknown
Medic award was granted to a Belgium SOF medic in recogni- in the civilian area even today. Because of the terrorist attacks
tion of his service in Iraq and to a Special Weapons and Tactics in Europe since 2015, civilian authorities and organizations
officer for his many years of commitment to the training of have started to review the situation, and military and civilian
police medics, the evening was opened with a live show and expert associations have begun to cooperate closely.
a live band.
Lieutenant General (Ret), Medical Corps, Dr Jürgen Blätzinger
Owing to the German Society for Military Medicine and Phar- pointed out that a major task of the Bundeswehr medical and
macy (DGWMP), the biennial conference was held without nonmedical personnel responsible for tactical medical care
any interruptions. The Bundeswehr Hospital Ulm, most specif- was to share their knowledge and experience with the civilian
ically the Department of Anesthesiology, Emergency Medicine sector. The development of networks and constant prepara-
and Intensive Care, was responsible for the scientific program tion and joint training were essential to ensure close coopera-
and the medical content of the conference. tion now and in the future.

The Specialized Operations Training Center (AusbZSpezlOp) The commander of the Bundeswehr Medical Center Ulm, Gen-
Pfullendorf and the Tactical Rescue & Emergency Medicine eral (MC) Dr Hoffmann, then expressed his gratefulness on
Association e.V. (TREMA) also contributed to the event in behalf of the entire team for having received the honorable
close cooperation and were responsible for the CFR The com- tasks to support this conference and to prepare the ambitious
mander of Working Group, the TEMS symposium, and the scientific program. He was convinced that this third event
TREMA course. with its focus on tactical medicine and a balanced proportion
of theoretical and practical elements would be again successful
In his opening speech, the president of the German Society for and without doubt a valuable complement to the events of the
Military Medicine and Pharmacy, Lieutenant General (Ret), Special Operations Medical Association (SOMA) in the United
Medical Corps, Dr Jürgen Blätzinger, welcomed the tactical States. The objectives were to bring together participants of a
medical personnel from the civilian, military, and govern- wide range of professions, skill levels, work places, and coun-
ment sectors who attended the conference. What made this tries and to commonly seek ways to fulfill the mission to pro-
conference special were the scientific program and the target vide the best care to casualties in crisis and threat situations.
group workshops, which were offered to a broad spectrum The great interest and the very high number of participants
of participants and ensured a high level of practical impor- underscored the demand and the importance of this event.
tance. The field medical care provided today had been mostly Dr Hoffmann was most of all delighted about the numerous
unknown 15 years ago and had been a “hobby” of medical participants from abroad. The topics during these 2 days also

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