MK Air Base, Romania – U.S. Army Soldiers from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), joined forces with Romanian and French troops in a dynamic and realistic mass casualty (MASCAL) exercise this week, strengthening battlefield medical response capabilities and deepening multinational cooperation along NATO’s Eastern flank.
Set against the backdrop of Mihail Koglniceanu Air Base in eastern Romania, the exercise simulated a chaotic combat environment involving multiple casualties, requiring rapid triage, emergency care, and coordinated medical evacuation. From the moment the first “injured” soldier hit the ground, U.S., Romanian, and French medical personnel sprang into action, demonstrating their ability to seamlessly integrate operations across language and procedural barriers.
“This exercise gives us the opportunity to not only test our medical readiness but to build trust and interoperability with our NATO partners,” said Maj. Elena Richardson, the brigade’s medical operations officer. “In real-world combat scenarios, these relationships and skills can make all the difference.”
Soldiers worked side by side under pressure, applying tourniquets, managing airways, and stabilizing simulated trauma injuries before transporting casualties to designated field hospitals. The realism of the scenario—complete with smoke, sirens, and role players in full moulage—pushed participants to react with urgency and precision.
Romanian Army Lt. Col. Dan Ionescu praised the cooperation, noting that “training like this is vital. Our ability to respond quickly and efficiently in a mass casualty situation improves when we train together, and it ensures that we are truly unified in our commitment to NATO’s collective defense.”
The MASCAL exercise forms part of ongoing multinational training operations across Eastern Europe designed to reinforce NATO’s defensive posture and strengthen partner capabilities. For the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, known as the “Strike” Brigade, this exercise not only honed lifesaving skills—it also reaffirmed their readiness and resilience as front-line contributors to regional security.
As tensions remain high across the region, exercises like this one underscore the unwavering commitment of U.S. forces and their allies to peace, preparedness, and mutual support across the alliance.
