Navy Expeditionary Medical Unit completes seven-month deployment supporting Middle East operations

Story by Arsenio R. Cortez Jr.

Naval Medical Forces Pacific

Expeditionary Medical Unit 10 Gulf (EMU 10G) recently concluded a vital seven-month deployment in support of Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) in the Middle East.

The 31 personnel from EMU 10G returned from their deployment in Iraq April 26, 2024. This deployment marked the first time in nearly a decade Naval Medical Forces Pacific (formerly known as Navy Medicine West) sent a team to support OIR, underscoring the importance of Navy medical forces in present-day military operations.

“It’s an honor to welcome home our brave men and women returning from deployment,” Rear Adm. Guido Valdes, NMFP commander. “They’ve faced challenges that many can’t imagine, yet they’ve done so with courage and resilience. Their actions during this deployment exemplify Navy Medicine’s expeditionary capabilities in supporting our joint forces. Their dedication to providing medical support to our warfighters serves as a testament to their commitment. Welcome home.”

As Navy Medicine continues to expand its expeditionary and readiness capabilities, NMFP swiftly deployed EMU 10G in October 2023 after receiving an official tasker in June to fulfill Rotation 15, supporting Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR).

Operation Inherent Resolve aims to advise, assist, and enable partner forces to defeat Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and establish enduring security cooperation frameworks. EMU 10G played a crucial role in providing medical support, conducting Role 2 enhanced (2E) shore-based capabilities, which provides triage and resuscitation support, at Erbil Air Base in Iraq. Their efforts included providing life-saving care to U.S. Armed Forces, DoD civilian contractors, and multinational coalition forces.

“Several team members supported OIR priorities, third-country national (TCN) repatriation events by providing medical screening for the civil affairs team,” said Capt. Katherine Noel, officer-in-charge for EMU 10G-15. “We supported two operations that were considered the largest TCN and internally displaced people (IDP) repatriation events for OIR.”

According to a CJTF-OIR news release, more than 4,400 people have been returned to their communities and countries of origin in 2023. Among them were 96 displaced women and children from across northeast Syria who were repatriated to their home country in December 2023. EMU 10G-15 relieved Rotation 14 in October 2023 and supported such OIR operations through April 2024.

Team camaraderie was key to the success of EMU 10G’s mission and was further enhanced through medical partnerships with host nations and allied forces. Collaborations with medical teams from Germany and the various coalition partners facilitated critical medical interventions, diagnostic testing, and emergency response capabilities.

“We worked with OIR coalition forces to train and expand emergency response and capacity for the base,” Noel said. “The unit was supported by a German surgical team, but we worked routinely with all OIR coalition partners for mass casualty (MASCAL) readiness.”

By integrating with the base defense and response plans, EMU 10G successfully provided medical capabilities as forward deployed Role 2 enhanced medical unit in a high-threat environment. Amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, Erbil Air Base received increased attacks within the last few months resulting in a more challenging operational environment.

During the deployment, EMU 10G also provided Role 1 and Role 2 support to Northern Iraq and the Eastern Syria Security Area (ESSA).

“I am very proud of each team member’s resilience and commitment to the mission,” Noel said. “Everyone kept a positive attitude despite the challenging environment.”

Preparation for the deployment began three months prior to the mission, with NMFP selecting personnel to fill vital positions, conducting medical screenings, equipping and providing essential training.

“The unit underwent a 14-day combat skills course at Fort Bliss, Texas, to ensure they were fully equipped to handle the challenges of their mission,” said Cmdr. Noah Apusen, deputy director of NMFP’s Maritime Operations Center. “The training allowed unit cohesion to develop and become familiar with equipment, weapons, and environmental conditions they will experience during their deployment.”

As Navy Medicine continues to adapt to the evolving landscape of military operations, deployments like that of EMU-10G demonstrate the commitment to providing exceptional medical support to warfighters across the globe.

Naval Medical Forces Pacific (NMFP) provides oversight for 11 Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Commands (NMRTC), on the West Coast and Pacific Rim that train, man, and equip medical forces, primarily in military treatment facilities. Globally, NMFP oversees eight research laboratories that deliver research expertise in support of warfighter health and readiness.