Update on the Interallied Confederation of Medical Reserve Officers

The mid-winter meeting of the Interallied Confederation of Medical Reserve Officers (CIOMR) convened at NATO Headquarters, Belgium, Feb. 3-5, 2005.

Established in 1947, the CIOMR is an organization with a long and rich heritage, with the distinction of being the official organization of medical reserve officers within NATO. It is sanctioned by NATO Military Committee document MC 248/1.

ROA represents the United States in CIOMR and to CIOMR's partner organization, the Interallied Confederation of Reserve Officers (CIOR). CIOR's international delegates represent Reserve officer associations from 30 nations (24 member nations, six associate nations). The CIOMR represents medical Reserve officers, whereas the CIOR represents non-medical, Reserve officers.

These international organizations provide a unique forum for DoD to enhance relationships and gain insight into military Reserve capabilities across the NATO community. This is exemplified by CIOMR's growing relationship with the Chiefs of Military Medical Services' (COMEDS) Commission and by the fact that the CIOMR sends representatives to each of the four CIOR commissions: Civil Military Cooperation (CIMIC), Defense and Security (DEFSEC), Communications (COMMS), and the Military Competition (MILCOM).

CIOMR delegates typically meet twice a year, with the premier event being the Summer Congress, which is held in a different country each year. The CIOMR Summer Congress is open to all ROA members with medical interests, and includes an expanded scientific session, an international military and first aid competition, and a variety of formal and informal networking opportunities. In addition to a joint, CIOR-CIOMR symposium, there are also venues to meet and interact with Young Reserve Officers Workshop (YROW) attendees, with members of the National Reserve Forces Committee (NRFC), as well as with both representatives and students from the CIOR Language Academy. In addition, there are opportunities to exchange ideas with representatives of Partnership for Peace (PfP) countries and to participate in one or more of the commissions.

The upcoming Summer Congress, in Ghent, Belgium, Aug. 2-7, will address "Lessons Learned from Peacekeeping and Humanitarian Operations."

This year's congress will be unique in that it will also offer an optional, one-day intensive workshop, "Neurosurgical Techniques for the Non-Neurosurgeon." This special workshop will be open to all CIOMR participants, however pre-registration is required as space is limited. The workshop emphasizes a "hands-on" approach, using isolated, fresh, pig heads as the surgical model. Each individual will have an opportunity to learn and practice several key neurosurgical techniques, including burr-hole placement, emergency treatment of compound depressed skull fractures, craniotomy for the urgent management of extradural hematomas, and the acute excision/closure of traumatic gunshot wounds.

Mid-winter meetings generally focus on the business activities of CIOMR and on finalizing Summer Congress issues. This year's mid-winter meeting also addressed a variety of issues ranging from military medical education and training, to the ever-escalating problem of combating human trafficking. Although the exact scope of the latter is difficult to assess, current estimates suggest that as many as two million persons a year are affected, the vast majority (~90 percent) of whom are forcefully recruited or abducted for service in the international sex industry.

Human trafficking is just one of the many issues facing NATO forces today, and, as Lt Col Joar Bjoergen of the Norwegian Air Force pointed out, training is critical, not only in terms of awareness and education, but for operational planning as well. An additional concern is the need to address, on a global level, the issue of how best to attend to the medical and psychological sequella of human trafficking, and how to effectively assist transnational victims and their families.

As an advisory organization to the NATO Committee of the Chiefs of Military Medical Services' (COMEDS) working group on medical training, CIOMR provides an opportunity to engage in issues affecting international military medical training. Col (Dr.) Walter Henney of the Netherlands, official CIOMR representative to the COMEDS working group, reported on plans to analyze the challenging issue, "certification of medical personnel from different countries during multinational operations."

Military medical training was addressed by speakers from many nations. Surgeon Commander (Dr.) Peter Knudsen of Denmark discussed training currently available at the Danish Defence Medical Training Centre (DMTC), as well as his country's recent development of a Diploma in International Health Support. This is an eight-week program of six modules that can be taken either all at once or over an extended period.

Col (Dr.) Gunter Ruetter of Germany gave a presentation on significant changes affecting the German Armed Forces. He emphasized that "multinational challenges require multinational training." This was complemented by a discussion of the Canadian approach to Reserve officers training, by Maj Kristiana Stevens of Canada. In addition to reviewing recent organizational changes affecting the Canadian Reserve Force, Major Stevens discussed the new "national maintenance of clinical skills program," developed for medical technicians assigned to the Canadian Reserve.

Col (Dr.) Arnyce Pock, USAF, discussed the unique curriculum at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS), and explored how the School of Medicine students "learn how to care for those in harm's way."

Lt Col (Dr.) Alexandre Van Acker of Belgium addressed the topic of "mental stress" in operational units. An interesting question posed by Dr. Van Acker was whether certain combat units might benefit from having a trained counselor or psychologist embedded in their units to provide immediate psychological interventions.

The final paper was presented by Capt (s) (Dr.) Thomas Syburra of Switzerland, who reviewed changes affecting the Swiss Medical System, and in particular some of the recent developments involving the Swiss Integrated Academy of Disaster Medicine.

An election to fill the position of vice president of the CIOMR for the United States presented two strong candidates. After an initial tie vote, MG Donna Barbisch, USAR, was chosen to succeed COL Richard (Dick) Keagy after this year's Summer Congress.

Participation in the CIOMR Summer Congress is open to current and/or retired Reserve officers who are members of ROA and who hold a medically related specialty code. Individuals who wish to participate in CIOMR activities in an official capacity are appointed and managed by ROA.

Questions regarding CIOMR or this year's Summer Congress can be directed to Colonel Keagy at Rhkeagydvm@cs.com or to General Barbisch at donna.barbisch@osd.mil. CIOMR's Web site is: www.ciomr.org.

* Author's Note: Special thanks to MG Donna Barbisch, USA; COL Dick Keagy, USAR; and COL Eileen Bonner, USAR, for their contributions to this article.

Colonel Pock is the USAF Surgeon General's Liaison to the CIOMR.

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