Matthew Tadlock , US Navy
Dr. Kenneth Marler , USN
LCDR Justin Beck
LCDR Jesse Snider
Summary: Force Design 2030 has placed a renewed emphasis on the return of the USMC to its maritime roots in preparation for large-scale combat operations (LSCO) in contested maritime and littoral spaces. To meet this requirement for improved flexibility, USMC Medical Battalions have begun to develop and deploy more scalable, modular, and maneuverable damage control surgical resuscitation (DCSR) capabilities to provide improved operational flexibility in contested distributed maritime operations. In an environment with predicted compromised logistical support in the form of Class VIII supplies, blood product availability and casualty evacuation assets, the flexibility gained through decreased personnel and equipment may come with risk of increased morbidity and mortality for casualties with simultaneous decreased capacity for casualty care. To assist the Operational Commander in the conduct of his/her risk assessment and risk mitigation, correctly determining appropriate logistical support to sustain capability (DCSR) and meet capacity (number of patients) requirements for different sized Role 2 Table(s) of Organization and Equipment (TO&E) is essential. We have analyzed two real-world, well documented case studies of mass-casualty incidents that involved the use of aviation assets to deploy ground troops, a mode of envelopment which may figure prominently in future Marine Corps operations in littorals. Both incidents, though on different ends of the spectrum with respect to severity of injuries, required extensive resources and personnel to minimize morbidity and mortality for casualties. Basing future Role 2 TO&E solely on either of these incidents runs the risk of either under or over resourcing deployed DCSR capabilities directly effecting mission requirements. To mitigate risk and maintain flexibility, modeling simulations like the Medical Planners Tool Kit (MPTK) are necessary to help shape future directions in the development logistical support (as described above), to maintain capability and meet surge capacity for a breadth of mass casualty scenarios.
2) Through the use of clinical data from two aviation incidents that mirror casualty incidents expected during LSCO in the littoral environment, including Distributed Maritime/Expeditionary Advance Base Operations, drive the discussion on the development of future logistical support required to maintain capability and respond to needs for increased capacity based on smaller or larger Role 2 units.
3) Use data from these two incidents and predictions from the MPTK, to determine logistical requirements to sustain Role 2 Health Service Supports during distributed maritime operations required for proposed “right-sized” DCSR TO&E.
4) Use data from these two incidents to improve the modularity of Role 2 units to support disaggregation and aggregation as needed to meet mission requirements.
5) Understand how current capabilities are developed utilizing MPTK, and how real-world experience aligns to better identify gaps and ensure informed risk decisions.