Page 252 - 2018 Defense White Paper

in long-term services, preferably, to clinical positions in forward areas, to provide them with

continuous sources of clinical experience. In addition, through thorough job analysis, positions
at military hospitals will be assigned to civilian medical experts, save for essential positions to be
f illed by servicemembers, which are aimed at capitalizing on the capabilities and organizational

culture of civilian hospitals. The servicemembers replaced by civilian experts, such as medical
off icers and NCOs, will be reassigned to forward units with limited access to medical services.

| Reinforcing a Medical Workforce at Field Units | One of the most fundamental
responsibilities of military medicine is to save the lives of patients through rapid first aid on-
site, and transfer those that require treatment at a higher medical facility to the most suitable

institution within the “golden time.” 13) To this end, the MND carried out a pilot remote
diagnosis program for units in remote areas with limited access to medical off icers and civilian
hospitals, and assigned medical NCOs with emergency medical technician licenses, and exerted
other efforts to remove medical blind spots within the military. In the future, the MND will

continue to enhance its emergency support capabilities by assigning an emergency medical
workforce at remote and independent units in forward areas. To this end, the MND plans to

assign additional medical off icers at GOP regiments, and emergency medical technicians at the
combat company-level units of standing divisions. The MND will also reinforce the training
provided for emergency medical technicians to improve their f ield medical support capabilities.

| Improving Patient Evacuation Capabilities | The MND expanded and reorganized
the Medical Operations Command Center of the Armed Forces Medical Command in 2015
and established the Medical Evacuation Air Service that specializes in the helicopter evacuation

of emergency patients. The Medical Operations Command Center is currently building an
emergency evacuation system capable of meeting the “golden time” by performing f irst aid on-
site; mobilizing available assets, including ambulances and evacuation helicopters; and sharing

the situation with military hospitals and civilian hospitals.
In particular, by 2020, the center plans to deploy eight medical evacuation helicopters capable

13) The time (typically 1 hour or less) within which a patient who sustained lethal trauma should be transferred to an
operation room for treatment to guarantee his/her survival

250 Chapter 6 Instilling a High-Morale Military Culture Trusted by the People