06/17/2026
375th Medical Group Proves Readiness in Major Accident Response Exercise
When Team Scott put its emergency response capabilities to the test during a recent Major Accident Response Exercise (MARE), the 375th Medical Group stood at the heart of the action – demonstrating the kind of medical readiness that strengthens not only Scott Air Force Base, but all of Defense Health Network Central.
Medical Capabilities Under Pressure
The exercise simulated a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) incident alongside a major vehicle accident – a deliberately complex scenario designed to stress the full spectrum emergency response. For the 375th Medical Group, this meant putting critical, life-saving skills to the test, including:
• Field triage – rapidly assessing and prioritizing casualties to direct care where it matters most
• Decontamination operations – safely treating patients exposed to hazardous contaminants while protecting the medical force
• Patient transport – moving casualties efficiently through the continuum of care
These are the very capabilities that separate a prepared medical team from an overwhelmed one when seconds count.
Independent, Self-Sufficient Response
What makes this exercise especially significant is that Team Scott executed it without local mission or community partners. By going it alone, the 375th Medical Group validated something essential: the ability to respond independently when outside help may be delayed or unavailable. In a real-world emergency, that self-sufficiency can be the difference between mission success and mission failure.
Why This Matters for DHN Central
The 375th Medical Group is one of the 39 Military Treatment Facilities that make up Defense Health Network Central, and its readiness is a building block of the entire Network's strength. Every time a medical team like Scott's sharpens its emergency response edge, it reinforces a network-wide promise: that DHN Central is ready – anytime, anywhere – to care for our service members, their families and our communities.
Readiness is not a single facility's responsibility. It is a shared commitment. The 375th Medical Group's performance in this MARE reflects the standard of excellence that defines DHN Central and contributes directly to our collective mission: a medically ready force and a ready medical force.
Well done, Team Scott. Your readiness is our network's strength.
Scott AFB Clinic
U.S. Air Force Medical Service - AFMS
Defense Health Agency
Military Health