A team of airmen and sailors from the Defense Institute of Medical Operations based at Brooks City-Base, Tex., has instructed local government officials from Trinidad and Tobago on how to establish a plan to respond to disasters and mass casualty incidents on their islands. “The whole idea is to share successful health care operations and programs with our international partners and coalition members so they can strengthen their programs,” said Air Force Col. John Cinco, DIMO’s medical director. The week-long DIMO course began July 19 on Trinidad. During the second half of the course, the participants had the opportunity to practice their plans during a simulated mass casualty incident. This course was part of US Southern Command’s outreach activities with friends and allies in Central and South America. (Port of Spain report by SSgt. Vanessa Young)
A provision in the fiscal 2025 defense policy bill will require the Defense Department to include the military occupational specialty of service members who die by suicide in its annual report on suicide deaths, though it remains to be seen how much data the department will actually disclose.