Under NATO rules, shouldn't we send our select medical trauma specialists from Landstuhl to provide assistance in Belgium?

2016-03-24T21:06:44-04:00

This is an attack. We could do the following: (1) Send individual military trauma specialists to assist the overloaded Belgian Medical Community. (2) NATO USA offers to send an entire field hospital( based in Ramstein, Germany) to Brussels and begins operations within a week.(3) If options 1 or 2 staff is overwhelmed, set up USAF airlift to from Belgium to Landstuhl, Germany.(4) Walter Reed option

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Mar 24 at 2016 9:07 PM

2016-03-24T21:07:58-04:00

Great Idea, I wonder how many US Medical Folks there are already attached to Shape Belgium.

Response by LTC Yinon Weiss made Mar 24 at 2016 9:09 PM

2016-03-24T21:09:33-04:00

It's great for us to help, but I must imagine that Belgium (a country of 11 million people) is able to handle 300 casualties.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Mar 24 at 2016 9:27 PM

2016-03-24T21:27:23-04:00

Belgium hasn't asked for anything under Article 5 and I suspect they won't for this specific incident. Now separate support requests for assist from varied law enforcement entities and Intel is likely. I haven't seen anything specific about NATO ramping up, however I'm sure their planning cells have been busy for some time. I'd like to rewrite a popular Mary Poppins lyric "A teaspoon of courage helps the JDAMS go down, the JDAMS go down...."

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Mar 24 at 2016 10:00 PM

2016-03-24T22:00:29-04:00

It wont happen. They don't know DTS well enough.

Response by SSgt GG-15 RET Jim Lint made Mar 25 at 2016 1:24 AM

2016-03-25T01:24:31-04:00

Lots of these survey questions do not have enough answers. The US support should only be sent when requested. If your Docs do not have the languages and know the area they will need escorts and assistance. That would be a burden on host country that they do not need at this time. Sometimes, extra help is not useful and gets in the way.

Response by Capt Mark Strobl made Mar 25 at 2016 1:26 AM

2016-03-25T01:26:30-04:00

By the time that we could put boots on the ground, the casualties will have all been treated & released, or evac'd. For the others, well, their families are already underway with final arrangements.