First Island Chain Experiences Using Team Awareness Kit (TAK) for Medical Communications

The Team Awareness Kit (TAK, also called Tactical Assault Kit) has significant potential to improve medical regulation in combat operations. TAK is a software package able to be used by individuals in the field which provides geospatial infrastructure and military situational awareness. While it is widely used by non-medical military units, most medical forces have not yet integrated it, particularly for casualty tracking. TAK offers better emission control and detailed medical data than traditional communication systems. Two examples of its use described in this report are from exercises with III Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) in the Indo-Pacific. Key lessons included: 1) full integration of TAK into Health Services Support (HSS) for improved patient outcomes, 2) managing information overload through standardized workflows, and 3) clear medical control (MEDCON) to optimize casualty care. Recommendations include establishing a communications plan, regulating communication between care echelons, and standardizing TAK workflows for casualty care and medical logistics. TAK proved to be a low-cost, effective tool for medical command and control, and should be further considered for adoption across Joint and Partner Forces.