KADENA AIR BASE, Okinawa — Cpt. Raymond Kelly, a Flight Nurse with the United States Air Force and member of the 18th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, has developed a new Mobile Medic Kit designed to enhance the unit’s mobility, efficiency, and operational capacity in future
conflict scenarios.
Kelly, a trauma nurse with 23 years of experience, has served in various austere environments, including a deployment to Afghanistan with the Special Forces Operational Detachment-Alpha (SFODA) 3rd Group. His time with a ground surgical team (GST) in Afghanistan gave him
firsthand experience operating under challenging conditions. This background laid the foundation for Kelly’s work with the 18 AES, where he recognized the need for a more versatile and compact medic kit to support missions.
“The similarities between working as part of a GST and being in an Aeromedical Evacuation (AE) environment were clear to me. When we’re in the air, we’re on our own, and we need to act quickly and efficiently with the resources at hand,” Kelly said.
Kelly identified a need for a more agile, lean kit and developed one to address an unmet operational requirement, particularly in alignment with the Agile Combat Employment (ACE) model. ACE aims to improve the U.S. Air Force’s ability to respond swiftly and decisively in a
distributed combat environment, where flexibility and speed are crucial.
The Mobile Medic Kit that Kelly developed allows the 18 AES crewmembers to operate with a smaller footprint on and off the aircraft, reducing weight and increasing mobility. It’s designed to meet the demands of future conflict, where quick deployment is essential. "In the ACE doctrine, we emphasize the ability to be ready to go at a moment’s notice. This kit is designed to support that ‘fight tonight’ mindset,” Kelly explained.
The kit includes a chest rig with a large medical pouch containing essential items such as IVs, sharps, gloves, a tourniquet, and a trash bin. The trash bin, while unconventional, is crucial for maintaining cleanliness in austere environments where waste disposal is often limited. The rig also features an extra glove pouch to ensure easy access for team members while treating patients in a fast-paced setting.
“This chest rig is designed to hold everything I would need at a hospital bedside, but in a compact, mobile form,” Kelly said. “From a flashlight to knives and writing utensils, it’s all there.”
The accompanying backpack is organized according to the MARCH algorithm — Massive Hemorrhage, Airway, Respiratory, Circulation, and Hypothermia — to guide the medic through critical care priorities. The design allows for the treatment of three major traumas and seven
patients per team member, enabling precise resource allocation and operational flexibility.
In addition to the chest rig and backpack, Kelly is also working on a larger bag that will contain additional supplies, such as oxygen tubing, fluids, and catheters. This secondary bag will support the AE team in prolonged missions where such equipment becomes necessary.
The Mobile Medic Kit was first tested during the Cobra Gold 2025 exercise, where it was used in multiple severe trauma scenarios. Kelly, who took part in the training with his personal kit, said the results were “seamless,” even with just one kit available for the entire team. This success validated the design’s effectiveness and operational suitability.
Kelly’s dual experience as a trauma nurse and GST team member played a pivotal role in the kit’s development. By drawing from both military and civilian trauma care principles, he was able to create a solution that is both innovative and practical for the AE team.
While the Mobile Medic Kit offers significant advancements, it will not replace the unit’s current equipment. Instead, it will serve as an additional resource, enhancing the AE team’s flexibility and responsiveness in different operational environments. It aligns with the Air Force's ongoing
emphasis on Salt Triage, a method for managing large-scale trauma cases. The current in-flight kit utilized across the AE enterprise remains highly effective for hospital-to-hospital transfers, but the new system adds a layer of adaptability for more dynamic and rapidly evolving missions, allowing the team to address a broader range of scenarios with greater mobility.
While a wearable medical kit is a new addition to the AE mission, Kelly emphasized that the concept is not new to trauma care, but it is a breakthrough for the AE community.
“This approach to trauma care has been used in forward environments for years but bringing it into AE is an innovative step forward,” Kelly said.
With its blend of mobility, efficiency, and readiness, the Mobile Medic Kit is set to enhance the 18 Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron's capabilities and readiness for future missions, ensuring that they are always prepared for the challenges ahead.
| Date Taken: | 04.24.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.24.2025 13:10 |
| Story ID: | 496101 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 124 |
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