​Last 10 February, in the framework of the 18th Combat Medic Course (CMC), the first “Supplementary Naval Module” was held onboard ITS San Giusto. This training event, promoted by the Italian Navy Medical Department (Marispesan), is aimed at training the Armed Forces military medical staff and government health-sector personnel to be deployed in combat environments and crisis response situations.
The Course was attended by 18 participants from the Italian Navy, Air Force and Red Cross.
This newly-introduced module started with a preliminary phase of acclimatisation to shipboard life, enabling participants to get used to onboard medical facilities. This phase included the visit of the Biocontainment Unit operated by the Italian Red Cross, which is located within the Stazione Navale Mar Grande, Taranto (Taranto Naval Base) and may be embarked onboard Italian Navy ships, when required.
Participants were integrated into ITS San Giusto medical teams and were employed together with the ship's crew. A simulated terrorist attack (asymmetric threat) reached its climax with two onboard fires and casualties among the crew. The attendees intervened immediately, supervised by training personnel of the Centro Addestramento Navale della Marina (Maricentadd, Italian Navy Training Centre). It was a very realistic training experience, in which theatrical makeups were extensively used to simulate major traumatic injuries.
The exercise was supervised by a team of observers on board, including Admiral Enrico Mascia, Surgeon General of the Italian Navy Medical Department, General Piervalerio Manfroni, Head of the Italian Air Force Medical Department, General Gabriele Lupini, National Commissioner of the Italian Red Cross,  Dr Giuseppe Noschese, of the Emergency First-Aid and Medical Care Unit of the Cardarelli Hospital Naples, and LT Col. Kjell S. Boman, of the Swedish Military Medical Service (in representation of the NATO Special Ops HQ).
The naval module – which closes the theory and practical phase of the 18th CMC – is a major experience that enables participants to become aware of the difficulties they might be required to face when deployed as health care personnel in combat scenarios, and notably to experience operational peculiarities onboard naval warships.