CONSTANTA, Romania (April 15, 2019) – Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) participated in multinational medical exercise Vigorous Warrior 19. Organized by the NATO Center of Excellence for Military Medicine, this bi-annually was hosted this year by Romania. 

MARCOM endorsed the maritime involvement during this exercise and was represented by Captain Filippo La Rosa (ITA N), MARCOM Medical Advisor, during the Maritime Medical drill held in Constanta during the period April 11-12 and included in exercise Vigorous Warrior 19.

Vigorous Warrior 19, the largest medical exercise in the history of the North-Atlantic Alliance, run from April 1-12, covering the three force components. Land with activities being mostly carried out at the Cincu-based National Joint Training Centre "Getica”), Air with activities at the 71st Airbase in Campia Turzii and Maritime in Constanta, Black Sea region. Several parts of the exercise took place also in the capital Bucharest.

The Vigorous Warrior Exercise Series is the only dedicated multinational medical exercise in NATO. Its objectives aim to answer and practice on the most relevant questions of the military-medical realm in a multinational setting and under NATO’s auspices.

"For the first time in the "Vigorous Warrior" series, the maritime environment was included with the intent to highlight how maritime medical support is important for successful joint operations.” said Captain La Rosa, adding "It is extremely important to exercise our Maritime Medical Support Capacity in a very important area like the Black Sea region.”

On its last day "Vigorous Warrior 19" was linked with Romanian-led multinational exercise Sea Shield 19, through some incidents on board the Romanian Navy frigate Regele Ferdinand. The main event was characterized by a multi-victim incident with air evacuation into Constanta Harbour, followed by hyperbaric medical treatment provided by the SMURD (Romanian emergency rescue service) team in cooperation with the Romanian Navy medical team. This close-to real scenario were the ingredients for a successful military-civilian support.

"We have a number of 18 victims, resulting from the explosion, they will gradually be discharged from the sea, will arrive in these medical facilities where they will receive primary care and are to be transferred to Constanta Military Hospital and the County Hospital." said Major Dr. Alexandru, Surgeon General of Romanian Naval Forces. "We have a diving accident with two divers who suffered a decompression sickness. And they will be evacuated from the sea and receive treatment in the civilian mobile hyperbaric chamber at the pier in Constanta Harbour".

The Vigorous Warrior 19 exercise underlined the role of MARCOM as a Maritime Advocate in Medical Domain and a great example of possible interconnection between NATO Medical and Maritime Exercises. It brought forward the importance of integrating Civilian and Military Medical Support, paramount alliance to guarantee the best treatment to our sailors.