Most complex NATO medical exercise conducted in Romania

Vigorous Warrior 19 - VW19, the most complex medical exercise in the history of NATO, is currently being conducted, April 1-15, at several units of the Romanian Armed Forces. 

According to the Romanian Defence Ministry (MApN), the exercises involves all the three components of the armed forces - land (activities that will take place mostly at the Getica National Joint Training Centre at Cincu), air (at the 71st General Emanoil Ionescu Base at Campia Turzii) and water (in the Constanta area and the Black Sea). 

The practical part of the exercise (LIVEX) will take place from Sunday until April 12 at the Cincu Training Center, with the last day being dedicated to distinguished visitors, an event that will be open to the media as well. 

MApN says the action sequence of the VW19 exercise will take place in several areas in Bucharest on April 11 and 12 designed for coherent combined action of national and multinational military and civilian medical entities. The action will be carried out in co-operation with the Department for Emergency Situations and with support from the Dr Carol Davila Central Military Emergency Teaching Hospital. 

"The purpose of the VW19 exercise is joint training for the provision of multinational medical support in NATO operations, thus practicing the necessary procedures to provide continuous medical care, strategic medical evacuation, increased levels of preparedness and response to any possible chemical, biological, radiological or improvised device incident, as well as the development of concepts, experimentation and incorporation of advanced technology-based training systems in this field," says MApN. 

The multidimensional and multinational NATO medical exercise organized by the Romanian Defence Staff in collaboration with the Medical Department of the Ministry of National Defence and the NATO Centre of Excellence for Military Medicine will include representatives from 38 nations, most of which are NATO members. The VW19 will also have a civilian component, with 10 such organisations taking part.