Multilingual tactical combat casualty care card: a combined Japanese self defense force and US military project

Multinational partnerships are a critical capability enabling effective logistic and combat service projection in distributed maritime operations. Effective communication and interoperability with Partner Force assets may optimise casualty evacuation and care.1 The value of multinational combined medical operations is typified by facilities like Camp Bastion Hospital in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.2 Camp Bastion Hospital demonstrated the feasibility of multinational staffing of an expeditionary medical facility along with the challenges that can arise from differences in military doctrine, cultural practice and communication gaps.3 Building from such experiences, the III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF) and the Japanese Ground Self-Defence Force (JGSDF) collaborated to design dual language documentation and materials for future medical collaboration.