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Command prepares for the Joint Task Force Senior Medical Leader Seminar
USJFCOM invites senior medical leaders to a joint operational medicine education venue focused on enhancing support to the joint warfighter.
By Susy Dodson
USJFCOM Public Affairs
(SUFFOLK, Va. - May 21, 2009) -- U.S. Joint Forces Command's (USJFCOM) office of the command surgeon will host the four day 15th annual Joint Task Force (JTF) Senior Medical Leader Seminar (SMLS) from July 28 - 31, 2009 at the Old Dominion University Virginia Modeling, Analysis & Simulation Center here.
This year's interactive seminar will focus on irregular and hybrid warfare and the implications for future JTF medical leaders.
Presentations from senior medical personnel will include the Joint Operational Environment (JOE) and Capstone Concept for Joint Operations (CCJO), an overview of each service's medical support to joint forces, operational perspectives from the office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs and the Joint Staff, and insight into key joint capabilities resident at USJFCOM to include the Joint Enabling Capabilities Command, Joint Warfighting Center and Joint Center for Operational Analysis.
"They [seminar attendees] need to understand the tenets of irregular warfare/hybrid warfare and they also need to understand the tenets of joint," said Navy Rear Adm. Michael H. Mittelman, command surgeon for USJFCOM "A lot of personnel don't have the opportunity to work with the other services and our interagency partners so one of my key goals is for the participants to understand first of all what the other service's languages are, what some of the service's cultures are and then… the big picture, how this all fits into how we are going to be fighting future wars as outlined in the JOE and CCJO."
According to conference organizers, attendees will gain insight into becoming senior medical leaders in a JTF and broaden their horizons through briefs and discussions. They also will interact with senior leader medical personnel who served in JTFs during Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom and participated in Pacific Partnership on the hospital ship USNS Mercy.
According to Mittelman, the JTF Senior Medical Leader Seminar is the only "in residence course" hosted by USJFCOM that provides "joint context" to medical personnel and is one of the only senior level JTF- focused medical seminars provided by the Department of Defense (DoD).
Mittelman said the seminar will enhance preparation of senior Medical, Dental, Medical Service, Biomedical Sciences and Nurse Corps officers for all services and coalition forces who may serve in a joint operational leadership role. It also broadens the operational medicine skills of DoD civilians and senior interagency personnel employed in the health care services field.
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"With the three services working together, we have re-invented the way we do combat casualty care" Mittelman said. "Now we're sending expeditionary medical units, small units out there. We're looking at, 'how do we interface with irregular warfare environment? How do we positively affect the outcome if we're in an irregular warfare and hybrid warfare environment?'"
"This is the course where we bring in senior medical leaders basically from all the services and literally all over the world so we can train them to act in the capacity of a JTF surgeon and deal with the complexities of current and future joint operational environments," Mittelman said. "It's teaching them the lexicon of joint so that they can go out and be not only functional, but also proactive in supporting the warfighter. Our goal is to reach as wide an audience as possible and give them the tools they need to be successful in the joint operational environment."
Panel discussions will occur throughout the event allowing both speakers and attendees to discuss their experiences and share knowledge on how best to support joint forces. Students also will receive exposure to modeling and simulation demonstrations and futuristic medical technological capabilities.
The military services select participants. Interested individuals should apply through their respective service or organization.
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