How does Air Force Special Operations Command [AFSOC] employ its operational medical personnel?
AFSOC deploys its medical teams to support the full spectrum of special operations missions. The teams are rugged, modular, scalable, designed for maximum flexibility and are built into requirements- driven force packages in a building block approach. The Special Operations Forces Medical Element [SOFME] is the foundation building block and represents the cornerstone of AFSOC’s deployed medical capability. SOFME personnel have extensive medical training focused on combat health service support, trauma medical care, Special Operations Forces [SOF] casualty evacuation [casevac], aeromedical evacuation decision-making and bare base preventive medicine support. Each SOFME consists of one AFSOC flight surgeon and two AFSOC combat medics. SOFME flight surgeons receive extensive SOF-specific training and advanced medical training related to trauma casualty management, health care engagement, tropical medicine and casualty evacuation. The SOFME enlisted combat medics are among the most highly
