Participants of the exercise "Saber Guardian 17 - MASCAL", among whom were also members of the Military Healthcare Department of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Serbia, during the past seven days spent at the military airbase, "Mihail Kogalniceanu" in Romania, had the opportunity to present the achieved level of capabilities in providing medical care to the population in crisis situations. Members of the Ministry of Defence participated in the exercise as a part of the Balkan Medical Task Forces, together with members of the military health care from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Slovenia and Montenegro.

Speaking of the exercise, the commander of the Balkan Medical Task Forces Lt. Col. Dr. Zarko Micovic from the Military Healthcare Department of the Ministry of Defence of Serbia said that the members of the Balkan Medical Task Forces having participated in this exercise showed that they were fully trained and ready for quick reaction in a crisis reflecting in the management of a large number of injured persons in a very short period of time.

- During the exercise, members of the Balkan Medical Task Forces showed a high level of commitment, closeness and expertise what enabled us to implement all the tasks in the exercises much easier- said Lt. Col. Micovic and added that the Balkan Medical Task Forces can serve as a good example of developing regional cooperation also in other areas of life.

At one of the most complex exercise when it comes to medical care, 60 members of the Balkan Medical Task Forces exercised a number of actions and procedures in providing assistance to the injured and patients, together with members of the European Command of the US Armed Forces and Romania. All activities on the admittance of a large number of injured were carefully planned, coordinated, and regarding "the injured" who arrived in the deployed field hospitals level 2, that looked like it was a real situation.

The Romanian Defence Minister Adrian Țutuianu and the Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces of Romania, General Nicolae-Ionel Ciucă, the Commander of the Ground Forces of the European Command of the USA Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, and many other officials from the participating countries were present at the exercise during yesterday's presentation of capabilities, and were able to see and get assured of the capabilities of the Balkan Medical Task Forces.