Spring 07 front cover - United States Special Operations Command

From the Command SurgeonWARNER D. “Rocky” FARRCOLONEL, U.S. ARMYCommand SurgeonHQ USSOCOMI have just returned from the Joint Special OperationsUniversity (JSOU) at Hulbert Field, FL. We hada USSOCOM Surgeon’s Conference, a Biomedical InitiativesSteering Committee (BISC) meeting, and severalof us taught in the JSOU’s Joint Special Operations MedicalOfficers Orientation Course, which was in sessionthat week also. Thanks to Lt Col John McAtee for runninghis last JSOMOOC course! His successor willmove the course to Tampa and most probably increaseits frequency. Please send me any comments on futurecourse content and other recommended changes.This was our first opportunity to get the USSO-COM Surgeon, MCPO Glenn Mercer, my Senior EnlistedAdvisor (SEA), COL Wyatt, Deputy SOCOMSurgeon, and much of my office together with all thenewly minted Theater Special Operations Commands(TSOC) Surgeons, SOCOM Component Surgeons, ComponentSEAs, and other key staff members. We attemptedto help find solutions for synchronizing andprioritizing SOF health service support operations forSOCOM components and TSOCs. The respective componentand TSOC surgeons discussed their current operations,future operations, key issues, concerns, andinitiatives. This was the first time we have had all of theabove together to talk common problems and solutionssince the TSOC surgeons have arrived on station in theirrespective TSOCs.• Recommended, and all concurred, that we need a JointSOF surgical advisory board to oversee future actions.• Recommended joint fill of current SOST and SOC-CET shortages with sister component personnel and/orother service personnel and/or National Guard SpecialOperations Detachments (SODs). May also need aSOCOM COS memo to USAF.• Requested assistance in obtaining Unfunded Requirements(UFR) money for training SOST and SOCCETpersonnel annually. Will pursue COA with HQ US-SOCOM J7, USASOC, and JSOMTC. In addition,when we get funding for Command Medic CertificationProgram (CMCP), we may be able to APOM thisrequirement.• Highlighted the need for Lessons Learned (LL) forlevel II requirements, to include post-911, “early war”LLs.b. MARSOC (CAPT Steve McCartney):• Reorganization of MARSOC and new document (TO)coming out which will increase Medic authorizationshortages and increase SOCM and ADSOCM trainingrequirements. This equates to 56 8403s and 9 8427s.Medical readiness a big issue.• Need help in “selling” the TCCC acquisition programto the MARSOC G8 and Command Group, MARSOCzeroed out POM 10-15 TCCC funding.Key issues from the TSOC Surgeons, Component Surgeonsand Command Surgeon Staff:a. AFSOC (Lt Col Mark Ervin):• Recommended the Special Operations Surgical Team(SOST) and Special Operations Critical Care EvacuationTeam (SOCCET) as the “standard” for joint SOFlevel II requirements in the future.2Journal of Special Operations Medicine Volume 8, Edition 2 / Spring 08c. USASOC (COL Tom Deal):• Provided a good update on the health of Army SOFand issues related to combat stress, PTSD, and MTBI.• Discussed Warrior Transition Process as well as Demobilizationissues.• Highlighted the level II shortage issue and discussedUSASOC growth in the Sustainment Brigade (SpecialOperations) (ABN).