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Angola exercise fosters combined medical readiness
U.S. Army Sgt. Jacob Smith, a combat medic with the 915th Forward Resuscitative Surgical Detachment, 313th Hospital Center, 2nd Medical Brigade, delivers a simulated casualty to Angolan Armed Forces medical personnel during the Angola Medical Readiness Exercise at Hospital Militar Principal, Luanda, Angola Sept. 7, 2026. The MEDREX enhances the medical readiness and capabilities of the U.S. and Angolan military health professionals. The exercise involved a team of 10 U.S. Army Reserve medical professionals and was planned and executed by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF). (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Raquel Birk)
Photo by: Staff Sgt. Raquel Birk
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US, Angola conduct trauma activation simulation
U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the 915th Forward Resuscitative Surgical Detachment, 313th Hospital Center, 2nd Medical Brigade, prepare to evacuate a simulated patient during the Angola Medical Readiness Exercise at Hospital Militar Principal, Luanda, Angola, Sept. 7, 2026. The Angola Medical Readiness Exercise (MEDREX) enhances the medical readiness and capabilities of the U.S. and Angolan military health professionals. The exercise involved a team of 10 U.S. Army Reserve medical professionals with the 915th Forward Resuscitative Surgical Detachment, 313th Hospital Center, 2nd Medical Brigade and was planned and executed by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF). (U.S. Army photo by Capt. Jordan Beagle)
Photo by: Capt. Jordan Beagle
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US, Angola conduct trauma activation simulation
Angolan Armed Forces medical personnel prepare to evacuate a simulated patient during the Angola Medical Readiness Exercise at Hospital Militar Principal, Luanda, Angola, Sept. 7, 2026. The Angola MEDREX enhances the medical readiness and capabilities of the U.S. and Angolan military health professionals. The exercise involved a team of 10 U.S. Army Reserve medical professionals with the 915th Forward Resuscitative Surgical Detachment, 313th Hospital Center, 2nd Medical Brigade and was planned and executed by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF). (U.S. Army photo by Capt. Jordan Beagle)
Photo by: Capt. Jordan Beagle
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US, Angola conduct trauma activation simulation
Angolan Armed Forces medical personnel prepare to evacuate a simulated patient during the Angola Medical Readiness Exercise at Hospital Militar Principal, Luanda, Angola, Sept. 7, 2026. The Angola MEDREX enhances the medical readiness and capabilities of the U.S. and Angolan military health professionals. The exercise involved a team of 10 U.S. Army Reserve medical professionals with the 915th Forward Resuscitative Surgical Detachment, 313th Hospital Center, 2nd Medical Brigade and was planned and executed by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF). (U.S. Army photo by Capt. Jordan Beagle)
Photo by: Capt. Jordan Beagle
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US, Angola conduct trauma activation simulation
U.S. Army Col. Terence Burrows, anesthetist, 915th Forward Resuscitative Surgical Detachment, 313th Hospital Center, 2nd Medical Brigade, examines a simulated patient during the Angola Medical Readiness Exercise at Hospital Militar Principal, Luanda, Angola, Sept. 7, 2026. The Angola MEDREX enhances the medical readiness and capabilities of the U.S. and Angolan military health professionals. The exercise involved a team of 10 U.S. Army Reserve medical professionals with the 915th Forward Resuscitative Surgical Detachment, 313th Hospital Center, 2nd Medical Brigade and was planned and executed by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF). (U.S. Army photo by Capt. Jordan Beagle)
Photo by: Capt. Jordan Beagle
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US, Angola conduct trauma activation simulation
Angolan Armed Forces medical personnel load a simulated patient into a medical evacuation vehicle during the Angola Medical Readiness Exercise at Hospital Militar Principal, Luanda, Angola, Sept. 7, 2026. The Angola MEDREX enhances the medical readiness and capabilities of the U.S. and Angolan military health professionals. The exercise involved a team of 10 U.S. Army Reserve medical professionals with the 915th Forward Resuscitative Surgical Detachment, 313th Hospital Center, 2nd Medical Brigade and was planned and executed by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF). (U.S. Army photo by Capt. Jordan Beagle)
Photo by: Capt. Jordan Beagle
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US, Angola conduct trauma activation simulation
Angolan Lt. Cmdr. Joaquim Quibuco, a navy surgeon, briefs his team on roles and responsibilities in preparation for a simulated scenario during the Angola Medical Readiness Exercise at Hospital Militar Principal, Luanda, Angola, Sept. 7, 2026. The Angola MEDREX enhances the medical readiness and capabilities of the U.S. and Angolan military health professionals. The exercise involved a team of 10 U.S. Army Reserve medical professionals with the 915th Forward Resuscitative Surgical Detachment, 313th Hospital Center, 2nd Medical Brigade and was planned and executed by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF). (U.S. Army photo by Capt. Jordan Beagle)
Photo by: Capt. Jordan Beagle
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US, Angola conduct trauma activation simulation
U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the U.S. Army Reserve’s 915th Forward Resuscitative Surgical Detachment, 313th Hospital Center, 2nd Medical Brigade simulate inserting an IV into a patient during the Angola Medical Readiness Exercise at Hospital Militar Principal, Luanda, Angola, Sept. 7, 2026. The Angola MEDREX enhances the medical readiness and capabilities of the U.S. and Angolan military health professionals. The exercise involved a team of 10 U.S. Army Reserve medical professionals with the 915th Forward Resuscitative Surgical Detachment, 313th Hospital Center, 2nd Medical Brigade and was planned and executed by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF). (U.S. Army photo by Capt. Jordan Beagle)
Photo by: Capt. Jordan Beagle
Photo 9 of 10
Angola exercise fosters combined medical readiness
Angolan Armed Forces medical personnel assess a simulated casualty during the Angola Medical Readiness Exercise at Hospital Militar Principal, Luanda, Angola, Sept. 7, 2026. The MEDREX enhances the medical readiness and capabilities of the U.S. and Angolan military health professionals. The exercise involved a team of 10 U.S. Army Reserve medical professionals with the 915th Forward Resuscitative Surgical Detachment, 313th Hospital Center and 2nd Medical Brigade, and was planned and executed by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF). (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Raquel Birk)
Photo by: Staff Sgt. Raquel Birk
Photo 10 of 10
US, Angola conduct trauma activation simulation
U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the 915th Forward Resuscitative Surgical Detachment, 313th Hospital Center, 2nd Medical Brigade, prepare to evacuate a simulated patient during the Angola Medical Readiness Exercise at Hospital Militar Principal, Luanda, Angola, Sept. 7, 2026. The Angola MEDREX enhances the medical readiness and capabilities of the U.S. and Angolan military health professionals. The exercise involved a team of 10 U.S. Army Reserve medical professionals with the 915th Forward Resuscitative Surgical Detachment, 313th Hospital Center, 2nd Medical Brigade and was planned and executed by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF). (U.S. Army photo by Capt. Jordan Beagle)
Photo by: Capt. Jordan Beagle
LUANDA, Angola — Angolan Armed Forces (FAA) and U.S. Army Reserve medical professionals with the 915th Forward Resuscitative Surgical Detachment, 313th Hospital Center, 2nd Medical Brigade, conducted a trauma activation simulation Sept. 7 as part of the Angola Medical Readiness Exercise , testing expeditionary medical readiness and strengthening U.S.-Angolan interoperability in trauma response.
The exercise, planned by the Angolan Armed Forces medical team with U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), involved 10 Soldiers from the 915th FRSD. “What we practiced here was the full continuum of care,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Nicholas Koo, MEDREX noncommissioned officer in charge. “From pre‑hospital treatment, evacuation, emergency room care, resuscitation, stabilization, post‑anesthesia recovery, and even medevac planning, each step was exercised in sequence.”
The trauma activation unfolded in three iterations:
First iteration: Angolan Armed Forces personnel initiated care at the point of injury, evacuated the patient to the emergency room of the Hospital Militar Principal and handed over care to the 915th FRSD for resuscitation and surgical decision making.
Second iteration: The roles were reversed, with the 915th FRSD beginning treatment and Angolan personnel completing the scenario.
Final iteration: Both teams worked concurrently, coordinating care under the direction of a lead doctor in a structured approach that mirrored real-world trauma management.
“This exercise is very beneficial,” said Angolan Armed Forces Lt. Cmdr. Joaquim Quibuco, a surgeon with the Angolan Navy. “We are exchanging experiences in medicine. We are ready to learn from the U.S. team, and we are also conveying our experience to the U.S. team.”
For the 915th FRSD, the simulation provided a realistic test of expeditionary surgical operations. The detachment is designed to function as a small, mobile surgical team capable of operating in tents or buildings of opportunity with limited blood supply, equipment and power. The FRSD can split into two teams, each able to provide forward resuscitative surgery in field conditions, a capability that distinguishes it from hospital‑based medical units.
“Our mission is different from hospital training,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Matthew Koopmann, MEDREX officer in charge and a general and vascular surgeon with the 915th FRSD. “We train to deliver surgery in austere environments with limited resources, so exercises like this are critical to validate our readiness.”
Following the exercise, both teams discussed lessons learned and noted that while interpreters supported communication the language differences posed challenges. Participants agreed that repeated practice and future iterations will continue to strengthen coordination and reduce barriers. Quibuco emphasized that the collaboration extends beyond professional exchange. “It’s not only about military exchange; it’s also about making friendships,” he said. “We hope this cooperation doesn’t stop here. We look forward to seeing more exercises.”
Through MEDREX, SETAF‑AF and the Angolan Armed Forces continue to advance regional health security objectives, modernize trauma care and reinforce U.S. Africa Command’s commitment to interoperability and partnership.
