<p>The U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity worked with the Directorate of Combat and Doctrine Development and Project Manager Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected All-Terrain Vehicle to develop, test, and field 300 high-priority M-ATV casualty evacuation kits to Operation Enduring Freedom for limited user evacuation.</p>
<p>"The CASEVAC requirement is crucial to being able to evacuate our wounded from the battlefield," said Jaime Lee, project manager for the Non-Medical Systems division of Medical Support Systems Project Management Office. "Since the M-ATV is a heavily used platform in OEF, it is critical that it be able to do CASEVAC. This kit allows the Soldiers to evacuate the wounded with the M-ATV safely."</p>
<p>The MRAP CASEVAC kits aid in the fast evacuation of injured Soldiers using vehicles of opportunity, such as the M-ATV and other MRAP vehicles. The kit includes spine boards, spine board restraint system, and litter straps.</p>
<p>The kits were well received by soldiers.</p>
<p>"The units that have seen them already are chomping at the bit to get them," said Sgt. 1st Class Richard P. Mckee, CJTF 82, CJ3 FMD, U.S. Army Research, Development, and Engineering Command, Science and Technology.</p>
<p>Mckee trained Soldiers in theater on how to install and use the CASEVAC kits, expressing the Units overall satisfaction with the kit's function and ease of use.</p>
<p>USAMMDA is working to expand this to a full operational test in the near future.</p>
<p>"The goal of the full operational test is to get the final version of the kit into the hands of more Soldiers to get critical feedback in order to justify the requirement for every M-ATV," said Lee.</p>
<p>USAMMDA is also working with PM MRAP to develop a 4-litter MRAP CAIMAN ambulance and a 2-litter M-ATV ambulance for MEDEVAC operations.</p>
<p>"Although CASEVAC is essential for operations in OEF, MEDEVAC is the preferred approach," said Lee. "Dedicated medical evacuation vehicles provide medical care and equipment that can provide critical care to our wounded during operations."</p>
<p>Lee explains that the new ambulances will bring the added MEDEVAC capability to the fight in the very near future.</p>
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