SURVIVING THE AIR EVAC - MEDICAL AND LOGISTICAL ISSUES OF EVACUATING PSYCHIATRIC-PATIENTS BY AIR FROM KOREA TO THE UNITED-STATES

Active duty soldiers who need a physical evaluation board for incapaci tating psychiatric symptoms may be evacuated by air to the United Stat es, The Aeromedical Evacuation (air evac) process involves many overla pping organizations, including the Army, Air Force, command, medical, and flight personnel. There are often communication problems between t he different systems. Which soldiers are returned to the United States , how they get there, whether to send a medical attendant, and which m edications to use for the flight are discussed, The air evac process i s in transition, We hope that this paper will facilitate cooperation b etween the different systems and improve patient care.