Mr. Justin Sanford
MAJ Titus Rund DO, MPH, DiMM, FS, MC , 1-207th Aviation Troop Command, Alaska Army National Guard
Understand how real-time AR specialist mentorship and remote monitoring technologies can extend trauma center capabilities into austere environments, improving outcomes and survivability in expeditionary settings.
2. Assess the role of wearable technologies and secure data transmission in battlefield medicine: Explore how advanced monitoring systems and bi-directional communication enable dynamic triage, intervention guidance, and continuity of care across geographically dispersed teams.
3. Analyze the integration of AI-enabled analytics and mesh data architecture for medical readiness: Examine how unified data platforms and artificial intelligence support predictive modeling, resource optimization, and continuous performance improvement in joint medical operations.
4. Identify strategic implications for interagency collaboration and future joint operations: Discuss how the SOFAM model informs scalable, interoperable solutions for combat casualty care, disaster response, and remote healthcare delivery across federal health agencies.
The Special Operations Forces Arctic Medic (SOFAM) Alaska exercise integrated a proof-of-concept for Augmented Reality (AR) tele-mentoring of Alaska Army National Guard (AKARNG) National Registry Paramedic level medics for surgical, anesthesia, and prolonged casualty care support with military physicians at Brooks Army Medical Center. Paramedic level medics provided for a level of trained medics who on a distributed model, could make an impact on the battlefield. The concept was designed to evaluate the feasibility to enhance medical care delivery in remote, austere environments by integrating frontline medics and corpsmen with real-time support via AR from a Level I trauma center. Conducted aboard a moving train through Alaska’s Arctic terrain, the exercise simulated battlefield conditions where initial care was provided by deployed AKARNG medics equipped with advanced AR and biometric monitoring systems. These systems enabled continuous, bi-directional communication and secure data transmission between the point of injury/care and remote trauma specialists, facilitating real-time mentorship and clinical decision-making. Tele-Delegate vital signs were captured via a wearable physiological monitoring device and simulated patient data via a Zoll were both transmitted to the trauma center, allowing specialists to dynamically guide interventions and triage decisions. This distributed care model demonstrated the feasibility of extending high-level medical expertise into the battlespace without physical co-location, significantly improving survivability and care quality in remote operations. In parallel, the exercise introduced a digital modernization framework featuring AI-enabled analytics and mesh data architecture. This infrastructure unified disparate clinical, operational, and environmental data streams into a cohesive platform that supported predictive modeling, readiness assessments, and continuous performance improvement. Artificial intelligence provided real-time insights into patient status, resource utilization, and system-level optimization, representing a transformative step toward scalable, data-driven battlefield medicine. The SOFAM Alaska exercise highlights the potential of combining wearable technologies, AR remote specialist mentorship, and AI-enhanced data systems to redefine expeditionary healthcare delivery. These findings offer critical implications for future joint operations and the evolution of combat medical support.