65th Medical Brigade builds readiness capabilities during Pacific Medics Lift

Photo By Emily Yeh | Soldiers train potential real life military medical tasks and situations to include medical evacuation scenarios during Pacific Medics Lift. A team of Soldiers off-load a patient from a U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter during training on Camp Humphreys in May. The patient was transported from a simulated battlefield scenario to a higher level of care under realistic and stressful conditions.  

CAMP HUMPHREYS, SOUTH KOREA

05.23.2022

Story by Emily Yeh 

65th Medical Brigade

CAMP HUMPHREYS, KOREA – Ten years ago Maj. Dave Zimmerman stood on the airfield at Camp Humphreys and spoke about his role as the medevac pilot in command at an exercise called Dragon Lift. A decade later history repeats itself, but now Col. Dave Zimmerman is the commander of the 65th Medical Brigade and the exercise is known as Pacific Medics Lift.

For the past few years, everyone in the health and medical field battled the COVID-19 pandemic. Now as we emerge from the pandemic and build to resume normalcy, training is at the forefront of enhancing the brigade’s ability to respond to any situation.

The brigade’s first order of business started with reinvigorating Pacific Medics Lift.

Pacific Medics Lift is designed to build readiness and competency within the U.S. and ROK military medical community. This training not only allows Soldiers to strengthen their roles within assigned teams, it increases their tactical capabilities and enhances their readiness to fight tonight.

Throughout the exercise, each Soldier faces multiple tasks. Each task builds character, confidence and experience, with the goal of increasing the effectiveness of units. The varied tasks range from treating patients on-site to transporting patients from the field to a higher level of care under realistic and stressful conditions. This is similar to what Soldiers would face during real-life battle.

The training also develops strong, creative and dynamic leaders that can think on their feet and take initiative when facing potentially new operating environments. For many Soldiers, training alongside their Korean counterparts in a battlefield setting and practicing on Korean evacuation platforms, may be a new experience.

Each phase of Pacific Medics Lift accounted for the varying situations and settings, allowing Soldiers an opportunity to train on a Korean Air Force C-130 as well as a Korean Army hospital train. While in a deployed setting throughout the Korean peninsula, Soldiers gain invaluable life experience as well. Training in diverse tactical environments gives them a unique opportunity to learn a new culture, experience a new country and adapt to real-world situations.

Although conducting PML ensures the entire brigade is prepared and ready to respond to any setting, it is also about alliances and partners. The brigade is firmly committed and dedicated to strengthening the US – ROK alliance. The medical mission remains a vital component to maintaining peace and security in the region, and the hard work of both the American and Korean Soldiers assigned to the brigade reinforces the alliance.

The medical brigade’s force is a disciplined, proud and professional cadre of Soldiers that embraces adversity. And what Zimmerman said a decade ago, “This exercise provided a lot of good training for all parties involved,” remains relevant today.

The 65th Medical Brigade is forward deployed, postured and prepared to conduct Army health service support and respond to any all-hazards event across the Korean peninsula. Soldiers are trained and part of a dedicated force committed to providing timely and compassionate care to our soldiers, beneficiaries and allies.

• Date Taken: 05.23.2022
• Date Posted: 05.23.2022 20:05
• Story ID: 421343
• Location: CAMP HUMPHREYS, KR