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Croatia invites U.S. for global health engagement

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Dylan Myers
  • 86th Airlift Wing
ZAGREB, Croatia --  

The event brought together medical professionals from Albania, Croatia, the United States, and Kosovo to focus on developing standard operating procedures for the command, control, communications, computers and intelligence module within a deployed Role 2B medical facility.

A Role 2B medical facility is a mobile, modular military field hospital that provides advanced trauma management, emergency surgery, resuscitation, intensive care, and diagnostics, serving as a bridge between frontline care and higher-level treatment centers. Designed to be deployable in austere environments, the Role 2B is structured into functional modules like an operating theater, diagnostic lab and hospitalization ward, supported by a team of medical professionals and logistical personnel.

“Deepening collaboration with Croatia, and encompassing other allies and partners, is paramount to achieving seamless interoperability,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Kolby Parent, The United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa Office of the Command Surgeon international health specialist. ”This unified approach strengthens our collective ability to respond together and maintain stability in the region.”

U.S. Air Force Maj. Kolby Parent, The United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa Office of the Command Surgeon international health specialist, speaks with Croatian army medical personnel during a global health engagement at the Military Medical Center in Zagreb

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U.S. Air Force Maj. Kolby Parent, The United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa Office of the Command Surgeon international health specialist, speaks with Croatian army medical personnel during a global health engagement at the Military Medical Center in Zagreb, Croatia, on Sept. 2, 2025. By developing, practicing and refining unified standard operating procedures, the teams ensured they could operate cohesively in future real-world missions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Dylan Myers)
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Participants point to a Role 2 facility map during a global health engagement at the Military Medical Center in Zagreb

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Participants point to a Role 2 facility map during a global health engagement at the Military Medical Center in Zagreb, Croatia, on Sept. 2, 2025. The event brought together medical professionals from Albania, Croatia, the United States and Kosovo to develop standard operating procedures for the command, control, communications, computers and intelligence (C4I) module within a deployed Role 2B medical facility. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Dylan Myers)
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Participants coordinate best Role 2B practices during a global health engagement at the Military Medical Center in Zagreb

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Participants coordinate best Role 2B practices during a global health engagement at the Military Medical Center in Zagreb, Croatia, on Sept. 2, 2025. The engagement supports U.S. European Command’s strategic objective of strengthening regional medical readiness by enhancing team knowledge of Role 2 medical capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Dylan Myers)
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The engagement also aligned with the recently signed trilateral military alliance between Kosovo, Albania and Croatia. The alliance established the group's commitment to tackle shared security challenges, conduct joint research and development and improve NATO interoperability.

“As a member of NATO and the EU, we are aware of the need for the benefits of mutual cooperation, which also includes the field of military health care,” said Col. Sime Kevric, Croatian army Role 2 medical commander. “We all have specific experiences in this area, and if we share them, it will certainly be of benefit to everyone.”

Three military medics each from Albania and Kosovo joined with their Croatian counterparts in the first-ever trilateral global health engagement to exchange expertise and share operational experiences. By working together, the participants compared treatment techniques, discussed best practices and strengthened coordination among their nations’ medical teams.

U.S. Air Force Col. Suzana M. Gjekaj, 86th Dental Squadron chief of pediatric dentistry, speaks with Col. Shime Kevric, Croatian army Role 2 medical commander, during a global health engagement at the Military Medical Center in Zagreb,

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U.S. Air Force Col. Suzana M. Gjekaj, 86th Dental Squadron chief of pediatric dentistry, speaks with Col. Shime Kevric, Croatian army Role 2 medical commander, during a global health engagement at the Military Medical Center in Zagreb, Croatia, on Sept. 2, 2025. The alliance established the group's commitment to address shared security challenges, conduct joint research and development and improve NATO interoperability. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Dylan Myers)
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Col. Shime Kevric, Croatian army Role 2 medical commander, points to a patient tracking board during the development of the Role 2 standard operating procedure at the Military Medical Center in Zagreb

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Col. Shime Kevric, Croatian army Role 2 medical commander, points to a patient tracking board during the development of the Role 2 standard operating procedure at the Military Medical Center in Zagreb, Croatia, on Sept. 2, 2025. The alliance established the group's commitment to address shared security challenges, conduct joint research and development, and improve NATO interoperability. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Dylan Myers)
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military members work together for the first time in a new alliance in Croatia

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Military medical personnel from Albania and Kosovo work together for the first time following the establishment of a trilateral military alliance at the Military Medical Center in Zagreb, Croatia, on Sept. 2, 2025. The engagement supports U.S. European Command’s strategic objective of strengthening regional medical readiness by enhancing team knowledge of Role 2 medical capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Dylan Myers)
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“This event was a great opportunity to develop our medical capabilities and learn from each other,” said Kosovo Army Command Sgt. Maj. Ilir Rama, Kosovo Security Forces Medical Regiment senior enlisted leader. “We were able to exchange experiences, establish contacts and strengthen cooperation between our countries.”

By developing, practicing and refining unified standard operating procedures, the teams ensured they could operate cohesively in future real-world missions.

“The engagement exposed us to a range of medical practices, technologies and doctrinal approaches that we can adapt and apply, stress testing our systems in a coalition environment,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Suzanna Gjekaj, chief of pediatric dentistry, 86th Dental Squadron. “I hope we continue to grow these relationships, not just at the tactical level, but across strategic and policy-making circles.”

This engagement showcased the power of partnership in strengthening regional medical readiness and advancing collective security. By training together, participating nations are better prepared to save lives when it matters most.