Northern Strike 26-2 tests joint medical response during mass-casualty training at Camp Grayling
CAMP GRAYLING, Mich. – Medical personnel from four military services treated more than 20 simulated casualties during a simulated mass-casualty event at exercise Northern Strike 26-2, testing their ability to evacuate, triage and stabilize patients under realistic field conditions.
The event organized patient care into specialized zones that reflected successive stages of emergency medical response: Navy corpsmen transported patients on litters to intensive care areas, Army medics triaged patients and assisted with overflow, Marines coordinated equipment and logistics and Air Force mortuary affairs personnel processed simulated fatalities.
Expeditionary Medical Unit 11 (EMU 11), staffed by physicians, nurses and other medical personnel, used the exercise to sharpen its ability to provide care during high-tempo operations and prepare for battlefield conditions.
“Northern Strike has provided austere training connections,” said U.S. Navy Cmdr. Lauchland Roberts, commander of EMU 11 Jacksonville, Fla. “The intention with this exercise is to get the patient in and stable as fast as possible due to the limited amount of space. There might be more casualties coming through.”
The response began with a nine-line medical evacuation request (MEDEVAC), the standard U.S. military radio evacuation format for casualties, ensuring clear, concise and timely transmission of critical information for patient care. Medical personnel then documented patients and recorded the supplies used during treatment at EMU 11.
Next, in the Medical Capabilities Augmentation Package Support (MCAPS) area operated by the Illinois National Guard, Soldiers practiced triage, monitored stable patients’ vital signs and moved simulated casualties to designated areas for additional care.
The final stage was led by the Air Force’s Mortuary Affairs section, where Airmen trained in search and recovery procedures and family support services, focusing on teamwork and communication throughout the exercise. The lane emphasized coordination and communication during the handling of simulated fatalities.
Northern Strike 26-2 is one of the U.S. Department of War’s largest annual joint military readiness exercises, bringing thousands of service members together for training across the air, land, maritime, cyber and space domains. The exercise strengthens interoperability among the military services, enabling unique training opportunities such as this. By moving simulated casualties through evacuation, triage, stabilization and mortuary-affairs procedures, joint-service personnel practiced coordinating specialized teams and equipment under field conditions.
“The training at Northern Strike has been amazing,” said U.S. Army Cadet Juan PeñaContreras, evacuation platoon leader for the 710th MCAS, Illinois National Guard. “Getting to train with the different branches has been a major opportunity. It has been beneficial to see how we can operate and communicate together. Everyone is excited to do their job and use their skills. The camaraderie has been great.”
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