ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- The 377th Medical Group from Kirtland Air Force Base joined forces with the New Mexico Veterans Affairs (NMVA) to take part in a large-scale military medical exercise on July 30, simulating the transfer of wounded troops from overseas to U.S. care facilities.
The event was part of Ultimate Caduceus 2025 (UC25), U.S. Transportation Command’s (USTRANSCOM) annual patient movement exercise, designed to test the Defense Department’s ability to coordinate with federal, local, and private partners in the event of a global medical evacuation.
The Albuquerque phase of the multistate exercise unfolded at the Albuquerque International Sunport, where an HC-130J cargo aircraft arrived carrying personnel role-playing as wounded troops from the Indo-Pacific region. Teams on the ground including federal, military, and civilian responders working together to receive, triage, and transport patients to predesignated local hospitals.
“The NMVA requested 377 MDG personnel for participation in different roles such as patient tracking, patient care and patient movement with litter bearer skills,” said Air Force 2nd Lt. Dessence Waddell, medical readiness officer for the 377th Medical Group. “Our part in the exercise provided hands-on experience and the ability to interface with key agencies, increasing patient movement interoperability right here in Albuquerque.”
UC25, which runs July 21 through August 2, involves more than 1,000 personnel from military and civilian sectors. The exercise features both fixed and rotary wing aircraft and includes coordination among 21 civilian hospitals, along with officials from the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Health and Human Services, and the Defense Health Agency.
“This exercise helped further emphasize the importance of the partnership between the VA and the 377th Medical Group in mass casualty events,” said Air Force Col. Steven Fox, commander of the 377th Medical Group. “Our team validated its ability to coordinate and move patients in a large-scale medical contingency and demonstrated how communication is key to the readiness of our joint members.”
The 377th Medical Group’s participation in UC25 underscores its commitment to delivering world-class care and rapid evacuation for military personnel.