Page 92 - JSOM Summer 2025

An Ongoing Series

“The Future of Special Operations Forces Medicine”

Review of the Paris Special Operations Forces
Combat Medical Care Conference, Fall 2024

Pierre Pasquier, MD ; Pierre Mahé, MD ; Florent Josse, MD *
1a
3 a
2

he second edition of the Paris Special Operations Forces Opening Lectures
(SOF) Combat Medical Care (CMC) Conference, a sat-
Tellite conference of the CMC Conference in Ulm, Ger- The military authorities from the French SOF medical com-
many, took place on 15 and 16 October 2024, at École du mand, SOF command, École du Val-de-Grâce, German Medical
1
Val-de-Grâce (Figure 1) in Paris, France. This international Service, and the scientific leaders of the conference welcomed
conference, organized by the French SOF Medical Command all speakers and attendees (Figure 2); described the history of
and the CMC Conference, adopted the main theme of “the special operations medical support as well as its challenges in
future of SOF medicine.” The event, unique in Europe for the modern warfare; and discussed its changes in the future
2,3
Special Operations medicine, brought together approximately conflicts: large-scale combat operations and hybrid warfare.
300 participants from more than 40 countries, including phy- Dr. Pierre Mahé, from France, opened the conference by em-
sicians, paramedics, trauma specialists, and surgeons involved phasizing the critical role of international cooperation in ad-
in SOF medicine. The conference also underscored the impor- dressing medical challenges within SOF operations. French
tance of interoperability across SOF medical units to foster SOF commander, GEN Michel Delpit, highlighted leadership
strong partnerships and networks essential for casualty care principles essential for SOF medical command structures, while
in high-intensity, time-sensitive environments. The Paris SOF Dr. Jens Diehm, from Germany, presented on integrating Ger-
CMC Conference is held every 2 years, alternating with the man SOF medical practices with allied forces. Prof. Guillaume
CMC Conference in Ulm. This brief report highlights the main de Saint Maurice addressed the evolution of SOF medical doc-
discussions and lessons learned during the conference. trines in large-scale operations. Dr. Sean Keenan, SOMA Presi-
dent, provided a comprehensive review of recent advancements
FIGURE 1 École du Val-de-Grâce, French military medical academy. and future directions in SOF medicine (Figure 3). A joint pre-
sentation by Prof. Pierre Pasquier and LTC Dr. Florent Josse
showcased European collaborative initiatives, setting a strong
tone for the event.

Session: What’s Up?
As adaptability and innovation in SOF medicine were major
themes of the conference was, this session focused on current
challenges and advancements in the field. From Italy, Mr. Mike
Turconi’s presented, “Ukraine: A New Face of War,” which
delved into the unique medical and logistical challenges en-
countered during the Ukraine conflict, emphasizing adaptive
solutions. Dr. Jennifer Gurney’s talk, “Good Data for Better
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Medicine and Tactics” (USA), highlighted the integration of
data systems for enhanced decision-making in combat envi-
ronments. Dr. Audrey Jarrassier, from France, explored how
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open-source medical data can be leveraged for operational
*Correspondence to florentjosse@me.com
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1 COL Pierre Pasquier and GEN Pierre Mahé are affiliated with the French Military Medical Service, France. COL Pierre Pasquier is affiliated
1
with the French Military Medical Academy (Académie de santé des armées – École du Val-de-Grâce-Écoles militaires de santé), France, and the
3
Department of anesthesiology and intensive care, Percy national military teaching hospital, Clamart, France. LTC Florent Josse is affiliated with
Ulm Military Hospital, Ulm, Germany, and the Combat Medical Care Conference scientific board, Germany.
a These two authors contributed equally to the work.
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