About this episode
In our last episode, we examined the relationship between military medicine and tactical effectiveness, as well as some of the incredible advances in combat medical care over the last few decades. In this episode, Manny Menendez asks some hard questions about how well the excellent casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) system developed and refined over 20+ years of combat in Afghanistan and Iraq will transition to large-scale combat operations. In a wide-ranging discussion with podcast host Darrell Driver, Manny discusses the problems of mass casualties, enemy anti-air capabilities, organizational culture and societal expectations about casualty care. In his Army War College research project, Menendez suggests the Army must alter its approach to CASEVAC, giving the example of pairing a ride-sharing system combined with a grab-and-go philosophy that strikes a different balance between tactical need, specialized medical care, and speed of evacuation.