Page 10 - NATO Supplement

8 n Journal of Special Operations NATO Supplement: HFM-224 Technical Proceedings

for SOF medics, the “Nordic Initiative,” a joint op portunities for further NATO/PfP/MD/Con-
training initiative being created by the nations of tact Nation collaboration and developing means
Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and Norway. to increase conformity in training across the Alli-
ance. A secondary mission was to provide senior
Determining how medical simulation technology leaders advice regarding the minimum necessary
could be used to validate skills acquisition was NSOCM skills, potential training curricula, and
a key RWS concern. Dr. Robert Sweet (USA), the medical simulation technology available to
from the University of Minnesota, and Dr. How- teach NSOCMs this curriculum. With 51 par-
ard Champion (USA), SimQuest Chief Executive ticipants representing 17 nations, the workshop
Officer, a company specializing in creating virtual represents an example of a multinational collab-
simulation, technology addressed this concept. orative effort with significant credibility. It is the
Dr. Champion, an internationally recognized panel’s desire that nations reading these proceed-
trauma medicine expert, spoke to the future of ings will be able to implement recommendations
virtual reality applications in simulated combat to improve training quality, efficiency, and inter-
trauma environments. Dr. Champion also served operability for NSOCMs.
as an independent technical advisor providing de-
tailed notes that are the basis of these proceedings.
3.0 Independent AdvIsor’s
revIew And report
In summary, every detail from content, to design,
to speaker selection was carefully crafted to bring Dr. Howard Champion (USA), CEO SimQuest,
operational and academic acumen of the RWS Independent Technical Advisor
participants to examine the challenges of medi-
cal training for NSOCMs. The ultimate goal of The independent advisor’s report is a compre-
the RWS was to identify best practice and tech- hensive documentation of workshop events pre-
nologies that can improve NSOCM training and pared as they occurred. The report is organized by
interoperability across the Alliance and make ac- presenter’s comments summarizing the present-
tionable recommendations to senior leaders that ers’ and panel’s comments and discussions. It is
will improve NSOCM capabilities. intended to provide the reader the context from
which the panel recommendations were derived.
n 2.2 Research Workshop Operational The reader is directed to the presenter’s comments
Relevance and Objectives in the appendices for greater presentation detail.
To ensure maximum applicability and relevance
of recommendations, the HFM Expert Panel n 3.1 Workshop Charge
pre sented to an audience of SOF personnel fol- Brigadier General Simon Hutchinson, NSHQ
lowed by discussions between the SOFMEP and Deputy Commander, opened the workshop with
HFM Expert Panel throughout the conference. a welcome to the NATO SOF Campus in
This ensured that academic and civilian industry Chievres, Belgium, during which he highlighted
experts lacking experience had sufficient opera- the significant importance medicine plays in the
tional advice to tailor recommendations within successful conduct of Special Operations mis-
the context of the SOF environment. sions. He thanked the participants for dedicating
their time and expertise to address critical SOF
The HFM-224 RWS objectives included iden- medical training requirements and acknowledged
tifying current best technology and best prac- that NSHQ and SOF commanders would care-
tice in SOF medic training systems, researching fully consider the workshop’s recommendations