86th AES strengthens NATO medical readiness during mock evaluation

Published Nov. 21, 2025
By Senior Airman Brenden Beezley
86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany --

Airmen from the 86th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron configured a C-130H Hercules aircraft into a mission-ready aeromedical evacuation layout Nov. 20, enabling a NATO medical evaluation course to conduct its culminating mock assessment.

The 86th AES, supported by a Critical Care Air Transport Team from Landstuhl Regional Medical Center and a field ambulance team from the U.S. Army’s 16th Sustainment Brigade, set the stage for the NATO Centre of Excellence for Military Medicine’s Medical Evaluation Course.

The MEDEVAL is a five-day course designed to develop certified medical evaluators who can assess Alliance medical units using standardized criteria. Throughout the week, students study how to evaluate personnel, equipment, documentation and procedural readiness across different medical modules. The training culminates in a mock evaluation, giving participants the opportunity to put their new skills into practice in a realistic, mission-focused environment.

86th AES strengthens NATO medical readiness during mock evaluation

U.S. Army Spc. Lucas Marzan,16th Sustainment Brigade combat medic, explains the capabilities of a field litter ambulance to two NATO Medical Evaluation Course students during a mock evaluation at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Nov. 20, 2025. Crews from the 86th Aeromedical Evaluation Squadron, a Critical Care Air Transport Team from Landstuhl Regional Medical Center and the 16th Sustainment Brigade field ambulance element worked together to demonstrate how multiple medical modules could be integrated into a single NATO medical evaluation scenario. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Brenden Beezley)

86th AES strengthens NATO medical readiness during mock evaluation

Three NATO Medical Evaluation Course students discuss their observations during a mock evaluation at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Nov. 20, 2025. The mock evaluation brought NATO Centre of Excellence for Military Medicine MEDEVAL students from 11 nations onto the Ramstein flight line, where they observed how a fully configured aeromedical evacuation mission would be prepared, staffed and assessed during a real-world NATO operation. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Brenden Beezley)

For this iteration’s mock evaluation, the 86th AES set up the entire training scenario. Preparation began the day prior, when crews worked to transform the aircraft into a fully operational AE platform, installing litters, securing stanchions and completing the configuration required for a simulated high-capacity medical evacuation mission.

“Yesterday, we had the entire squadron out here loading 30 mannequins and setting the aircraft up from forward to aft,” said Maj. Amanda Peterson, 86th AES assistant director of operations. “Really, this is what we do every day, so it didn’t take much prep beyond the setup and making sure the crew understood NATO’s objectives for the evaluation.”

Throughout the mock evaluation, 86th AES Airmen walked students through their processes, explained patient movement procedures and answered questions about how they operate in a NATO environment.

The training provided an opportunity for the 86th AES crews to engage directly with medical personnel from across the Alliance. As conversations developed, AES personnel gained insight into how partner nations perform similar missions, strengthening their understanding of NATO standards and the practical realities of multinational operations.

“By the end of the day, everyone was having conversations and sharing experiences,” Peterson said. “Those relationships make it easier to work together on an aircraft and help build the foundation we need for future missions.”

86th AES strengthens NATO medical readiness during mock evaluation

U.S. Air Force Maj. Tyson Hawkley, center, Landstuhl Regional Medical Center flight anesthesiologist, details Critical Care Air Transport Team procedures to two NATO Medical Evaluation Course students during a mock evaluation at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Nov. 20, 2025. Throughout the event, Airmen and Soldiers from LRMC, the 86th Aeromedical Evaluation Squadron and the 16th Sustainment Brigade, walked participants through patient loading, in-flight care setups and documentation procedures, showing how U.S. crews meet the requirements outlined in the NATO Medical Evaluation Manual. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Brenden Beezley)

86th AES strengthens NATO medical readiness during mock evaluation

U.S. Air Force Col. Michelle Wyche, 86th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron commander, thanks Hungarian Armed Forces Lt. Eva Damasdi, NATO Centre of Excellence for Military Medicine Medical Evaluation Course director, for her work in setting up a mock evaluation at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Nov. 20, 2025. The 86th AES prepared the entire training environment, allowing the course’s five-day program to conclude with a realistic mock evaluation on the C-130H Hercules aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Brenden Beezley)

Beyond building relationships, working alongside NATO students also gave the 86th AES an opportunity to reinforce the interoperability required for multinational medical operations.

“The biggest challenges usually come down to language and terminology,” Peterson said. “But once we talk through those differences, it becomes a great opportunity to exchange knowledge and understand how our partners approach the same mission sets.”

The event offered valuable insight into how partner nations meet common medical requirements and how NATO evaluators assess those capabilities. The opportunity to compare processes and exchange knowledge helped deepen the sense of collaboration across the Alliance.

“It’s rewarding to be at a point where I learned this job and now get to teach it to our partners,” said Staff Sgt. Joshua Hunter, 86th AES flight instructor. “Seeing how they work and sharing how we work helps all of us grow. We’re going to need each other down the line.”

The mock evaluation showcased the 86th AES’s ability to generate a realistic, high-fidelity training environment in support of NATO’s medical readiness efforts.

“Events like this not only help certify more evaluators, but also get everyone on the same page and align our expectations,” said Maj. Justin Stein, 86th Operations Group flight nurse evaluator. “Moving forward, we’re going to have to work together. We’ll need each other for whatever mission comes next.”

Through shared learning, hands-on collaboration and a commitment to interoperability, the 86th AES continues to reinforce its critical role within the Alliance and its readiness to operate seamlessly alongside NATO partners whenever called upon.