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identification of available specialty backup. CENTAF was slow in making this 
information available.
	Emergency response varied by location. At many sites, the response team 
was jointly staffed. SME's had to rely on vehicles of opportunity, either 
ambulances provided by the supporting ATH or rental vehicles provided by the 
host nation. Since there were no designated supply packages many SME vehicles 
were capable of nothing but simple patient transport.
	Communications problems required creative solutions. Some SME's were 
given Sable or Foxmike radios with or without base stations. Others acquired 
cellular phones or beepers. Although the ATC Concept of Operations requires 
SME's have communication with Base Survival Recovery Center, Emergency 
response teams, the supporting ATH and aerevacuation source, and casualty 
collection points, there was no system in place to guarantee this capability. 
Medics were often given low priority by Comm Squadrons. Message traffic was 
only moderately reliable. Even when collocated, communication with the 
supporting ATH was not always dependable.

P A T I E N T C A R E

	SME's typically reported a predominance of gastroenteritis visits early in 
the deployment which was later superceded by URI's. For supporting locations 
outside the theater, gastroenteritis was not among the top two DNIF complaints. 
The most commonly seen non-battle injury was lacerations; second most common 
was back or ankle strain.


In theater:
	Most common DNIF complaint: URI (all locations ex. Riyadh)
	Second: Gastroenteritis (all locations ex. Sharjah)
	Most common NBI: lacerations
	Second: back or ankle sprain
Supporting operating locations:
	Most common DNIF complaint: URI
	Second: Bronchitis
	Most common NBI: lacerations
	Second: ankle strain

	At one location, conflicts arose over whether or not to do flight physicals.
ATC's are not equipped for that purpose, but local resources were used.
	Nearly all flight surgeons saw patients with significant medical problems 
such as insulin dependent diabetes and chronic pancreatitis, which were beyond 
the capabilities of the ATC to care for them. These patients should never have 
been deployed.  Many thought this problem was more common among the Air 
Reserve Component (ARC) personnel. At least one location also had civilian 
contractors who presented unique medical demands. There were few backup
medical facilities, except for host nation, available in theater the first 30 days.
With the exception of the complicated patient who should not have deployed, the
SME s strongly felt the disadvantages of deploying medical records outweighed
the advantages. A complete SF 1480 should suffice in most cases and the most
recent SF 88 could provide such other useful information as blood type, spectacle

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