CAMP DODGE, Iowa – A medical team from the North Macedonia Army trained with the Vermont Army National Guard in Iowa from July 29-Aug. 13 as part of the State Partnership Program.
The mission of the Department of Defense State Partnership Program of the National Guard Office is “to support the security cooperation goals of the United States.” Achieving that goal brings many knock-on effects that benefit both partners in the SPP relationship.
In September 2021, U.S. Army Maj. Kimberly Holbrook, physician assistant and commander of Charlie Company, 186th Brigade Support Battalion, Vermont Army National Guard, and her executive officer, U.S. Army Capt. Michael Kelley, traveled to North Macedonia to observe and offer guidance to a medical company recently formed in the North Macedonian Army with a mission similar to theirs.
“We discussed with the leadership at the level of the North Macedonian brigade and the level of the medical company the possibility of attaching a small medical team with us for annual training,” said Holbrook. “It would give the Soldiers from North Macedonia the opportunity to get realistic medical training, expose them to the military decision-making process, and movement of wounded around the battlefield.”
That opportunity materialized at the Sustainment Training Center at Camp Dodge in Iowa. The State Department, the State Partnership Program, and the North Macedonia brigade signed the medical team that joined Charlie Company during the annual training.
“The Soldiers of the Army of North Macedonia fully integrated into Charlie Company, 186th BSB, with each Soldier assigned a role comparable to their position in the Army of North Macedonia,” Holbrook said. “This allowed full access to realistic medical training, MDMP, and casualty evacuation. With the exception of night driver training under night vision goggles, the MKD Soldiers did everything hand in hand with our team, to include hot/cold loads with the UH-60 Black Hawks.”
The intensive training included three days of tissue training on suturing, stapling and airway management, using pig feet, lungs and trachea.
“This allowed North Macedonian Army Soldiers and medics to use real tissue to perform advanced lifesaving interventions,” Holbrook said.
Participants were also trained in medical logistics, behavioral health, ground evacuation, and laboratory and radiological procedures.
Holbrook discussed future training with the leadership of the North Macedonian Army.
“If we tried two missions a year, that would be helpful,” she said. “It would help increase awareness between all levels and allow for a more robust relationship, especially as North Macedonia approaches the evaluation of their medical partnership with NATO in 2026.”
Vermont and North Macedonia began their state membership in 1993. The relationship has included collaborative events in Europe and the United States, including a shared deployment to Afghanistan in 2010. The relationship between the two partners has expanded to include civic and economic opportunities for cooperation, including state government.
