Medical Readiness Command, Europe – Strategic Focus on Unity of Effort Among Theater Medical Forces

Story by Kirk Frady

Medical Readiness Command, Europe

Landstuhl, Germany – More than 60 U.S. military and civilian medical leaders, providers, and planners from all branches of service from across the European theater assembled in Landstuhl, Germany Feb. 6 – 8 to take part in the first-ever Medical Readiness Command, Europe Strategic Medical Offsite.

The focus, or goal, of the strategic medical offsite was to achieve better unity of effort among U.S. military medical assets operating across the European and African theaters.

The host for the offsite was U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Roger Giraud, commander of Medical Readiness Command, Europe, and director of Defense Health Network Europe. During his opening remarks, Giraud emphasized the importance of convergence, unity of effort, and collaboration among the uniformed medical services.

“The intent of the strategic medical offsite was to conduct conceptual planning and to develop a shared vision for the military medical enterprise here operating here in support of Europe, Africa and Southwest Asia,” said Giraud. “As a medical force, we must converge and achieve unity of effort. Regardless of branch of service, we all contribute to military medicine in Europe and Africa.”

According to event planners, the medical offsite provided a unique platform for U.S. military medical assets to share lessons learned and establish a common operating picture to better serve U.S. military forces who are dispersed across the area of operation.

“It is important for our nation to ensure that the military medical enterprise is synchronized,” added Giraud. “The enterprise provides responsive, relevant, and ready capabilities when our nation calls. And, the people we serve, the men and women in uniform, deserve the best quality care possible.”

Providing quality medical care to U.S. servicemembers and their mission is a top priority for all DOD medical leaders across the theater and area of operation.

“To paraphrase a former Army Surgeon General, the world’s best force deserves the best medical instrument of power,” added Giraud. “We are all military medicine, a team of teams. We must converge, and we must leverage each other’s strengths.”

According to event planners, medical engagements like this are critical in supporting theater-wide U.S. military tactical operations while ensuring the health and readiness of all DOD servicemembers.

“We require unity of effort across our military medicine community, we have 5 combatant commands and their servicemembers depending on us any given day,” added Giraud. “We must understand the collective whole in order to get military medicine done in Europe and Africa.”