AFHSC - Combatant Command Engagements

Upcoming COCOM Engagements
June 2012 - NORTHCOM One Health: Environmental Health Considerations for Global Emerging Infectious Diseases and Illnesses DATE: June 12-14, 2012 LOCATION: Denver, Colorado OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the conference is to strength biosafety, biosecurity and readiness for outbreaks of dangerous and emerging pathogens outbreaks. Specific objectives of the conference are to enhance awareness on how environmental factors contribute to emerging or reemerging infectious diseases; educate participants on environmental health aspects during emergency and contingency responses; develop understanding of current and developing environmental hazard detection technologies; present current trends in preventative measures; and build upon previous years' partnering capabilities. PARTICIPANTS: Participants include representatives from US DOD, other USG agencies, Canada, Mexico, and the Bahamas. Attendance is by invitation only.

Upcoming COCOM Engagements

June 2012 - NORTHCOM One Health: Environmental Health Considerations for Global Emerging Infectious Diseases and Illnesses

DATE: June 12-14, 2012

LOCATION: Denver, Colorado

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the conference is to strength biosafety, biosecurity and readiness for outbreaks of dangerous and emerging pathogens outbreaks. Specific objectives of the conference are to enhance awareness on how environmental factors contribute to emerging or reemerging infectious diseases; educate participants on environmental health aspects during emergency and contingency responses; develop understanding of current and developing environmental hazard detection technologies; present current trends in preventative measures; and build upon previous years' partnering capabilities.

PARTICIPANTS: Participants include representatives from US DOD, other USG agencies, Canada, Mexico, and the Bahamas. Attendance is by invitation only.

Previous COCOM Engagements
AFRICOM
December 2011 - AFRICOM's Meeting of the East African Malaria Task Force (Philadelphia, PA) Sponsored by AFRICOM, AFHSC, and CDHAM, the East Malaria Task Force (EAMTF) held their first meeting in conjunction with the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene's 60th Annual Meeting. The newly created EAMTF is comprised of representatives from the countries of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda but is open to any African nation. Its mission is to strengthen and expand effective malaria programs and provide support for military personnel, their families and their communities. The EAMTF will also assist national and regional malaria programs in harnessing the full potential of uniformed services as behavioral and social change agents by bringing together scientists and policy makers with demonstrated interest in malaria programs to share resources, strategies and expertise. Download Executive Summary
April 2011 - AFRICOM Malaria Symposium (Stuttgart, Germany) Sponsored by AFRICOM, AFHSC, and CDHAM, the Malaria Symposium was hosted to observe WHO's World Malaria Day. The goal of this conference was to share priorities, interagency communication, and multilateral collaboration among civilian and military members within Africa, as well as strengthen strategic relationships between African countries and international partners. Conference themes included current surveillance efforts on the African continent; malaria's impact on military populations, security, and stability; eradication and prevention efforts; and malaria diagnostics and treatment. Download Executive Summary
CENTCOM
July 2011 - Infectious Diseases and Disaster Response Conference (Abu Dhabi, UAE) This four-day conference sponsored by AFHSC, CDHAM, USCENTCOM and hosted by the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces, aimed to promote regional interoperability and enhance the capability of regional countries to respond to complex humanitarian and health emergencies, with a particular focus on response to infectious disease-related disasters such as pandemics. Download Executive Summary
June 2011 - Infectious Disease Border Issues Conference (Amman, Jordan) This conference, sponsored by AFHSC, CDHAM, and USCENTCOM, and hosted by the Jordanian Royal Medical Service (RMS), was comprised of three days of combined didactics and a table top exercise. The primary theme was to bring together essential policy makers in order to strengthen inter-ministerial level relationships and share priorities, successes, and challenges in preparedness and mitigation capabilities directed at pandemic influenza, emerging infectious diseases and other potential public health emergencies. The majority of participants were military offices from the RMS. Other organizations represented included the Jordan Ministry of Health, Jordan Ministry of Interior, Public Security Directorate, Jordan Customs Department, Civil Defense Agency, Jordan Food and Drug Administration, Jordan hospitals and local universities, World Health Organization (WHO-Jordan), US Department of Homeland Security, and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA). Download Executive Summary
October 2010 - Emerging Infectious Disease Conference (Amman, Jordan) This three-day conference, sponsored by AFHSC, CDHAM, and USCENTCOM, hosted by the Jordanian Royal Medical Service, was comprised of three days of combined didactics and a table top exercise. The main purpose was to allow senior level representatives from the Levant and Gulf regions to articulate national plans, priorities, policies, strategies and challenges in preparedness and responses directed against emerging diseases that could be considered relevant to public health.
EUCOM
May 2011 - Countering Biological Threats: National Implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention (Tbilisi, Georgia) Multinational Outbreak Response and Bioterrorism Investigation Demonstration This three-day forum, held by AFHSC in conjunction with USEUCOM, CDHAM, and the Department of Health and Human Services, hosted by the government of Georgia, aimed to support pandemic influenza, emerging infectious disease, and biothreat planning and response for Georgian / Black Sea Regional Initiative Ministry of Health, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Environmental Services, and interagency partners. This workshop was a follow-up to the previous success of the Trilateral civilian-to-military forum held in Moldova in October 2010, with extended outreach to the Black Sea Regional countries. For more information and to download the complete After Action Report, please visit the DHHS website: http://www.phe.gov/Preparedness/international/Pages/counteringthreats.aspx
October 2010 - Trilateral Civilian-Military Forum on Outbreak Response and Bioterrorism Investigation (Chişinău, Moldova) This three-day forum, held by AFHSC in conjunction with USEUCOM, CDHAM, and Department of Health and Human Services, and hosted by the government of Moldova, aimed to promote military-to-military, military-to-civilian and interagency cooperation, coordination and synchronization for preparing, detecting, and responding to infectious disease outbreaks, whether natural, accidental, or deliberate in nature. The forum brought together participants from military and civilian public health agencies, law enforcement and representatives of inter-governmental organizations to strengthen core capacities required by the WHO International Health Regulations (2005) and existing national measures consistent with obligations under the Biological Weapons Convention and the UN Security Council Resolution 1540 to deter, prevent, or respond to biological incidents or threats. For more information and to download the complete After Action Report, please visit the DHHS website: http://www.phe.gov/Preparedness/international/Pages/orbitforum.aspx
NORTHCOM
June 2011 - NORTHCOM Surgeon's "One Health" Conference (Colorado Springs, CO) This two-day conference, held by AFHSC in conjunction with USNORTHCOM and CDHAM, aimed to promote "One Health" awareness, international communication and multidisciplinary collaboration among civilian and military health professionals. The conference brought together representatives from the US, Canada, Mexico and the Bahamas in order to strengthen strategic relationships and share priorities, successes and challenges in infectious disease preparedness, mitigation and response. Download Executive Summary
PACOM
September 2011 - PACOM International Disease Surveillance Conference (Kurumba, Maldives) Co-sponsored by PACOM, NEPMU-6, AFHSC, CDHAM and the Maldives National Defense Force, this International Disease Surveillance Conference aimed to bring together representatives from multiple south and southeast Asian countries in order to enhance regional collaboration in regards to disease surveillance and detection capacity; improve the regional disease surveillance network; and share priorities, successes and challenges in infectious disease surveillance. Download Executive Summary
SOUTHCOM
March 2012 - Disease Outbreak Preparedness and Mitigation Workshop (San Salvador, El Salvador) Sponsored by SOUTHCOM, AFHSC, CDHAM, COMISCA, CDC-CAR, CFAC, and PAHO, the Disease Outbreak Preparedness and Mitigation Workshop aimed to exchange information, build awareness for areas of improvement, and provide options for capacity building in disease outbreak preparedness and mitigation within the Central America region. The workshop took place in San Salvador, El Salvador with participants from El Salvador, United States, Honduras, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Panama and Spain. Download Executive Summary
May 2011 - Medical Response Belize 2011 (Belmopan, Belize) With support from CDHAM and AFHSC, and in coordination with other USG federal organizations, SOUTHCOM conducted Emergency Operation Center Command Post Drills with the Belizean Ministry of Health and other agencies, in order to improve foreign civilian interaction, regional cooperation and disaster relief capabilities in the region. This command post drill-- which exercised a hurricane, flooding and cholera outbreak scenario-- prepared the Belizean response system for future possible catastrophic response to pandemic influenza or other infectious disease outbreaks. Download Executive Summary

Previous COCOM Engagements

AFRICOM

December 2011 - AFRICOM's Meeting of the East African Malaria Task Force (Philadelphia, PA)

Sponsored by AFRICOM, AFHSC, and CDHAM, the East Malaria Task Force (EAMTF) held their first meeting in conjunction with the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene's 60th Annual Meeting. The newly created EAMTF is comprised of representatives from the countries of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda but is open to any African nation. Its mission is to strengthen and expand effective malaria programs and provide support for military personnel, their families and their communities. The EAMTF will also assist national and regional malaria programs in harnessing the full potential of uniformed services as behavioral and social change agents by bringing together scientists and policy makers with demonstrated interest in malaria programs to share resources, strategies and expertise.

Download Executive Summary

April 2011 - AFRICOM Malaria Symposium (Stuttgart, Germany)

Sponsored by AFRICOM, AFHSC, and CDHAM, the Malaria Symposium was hosted to observe WHO's World Malaria Day. The goal of this conference was to share priorities, interagency communication, and multilateral collaboration among civilian and military members within Africa, as well as strengthen strategic relationships between African countries and international partners. Conference themes included current surveillance efforts on the African continent; malaria's impact on military populations, security, and stability; eradication and prevention efforts; and malaria diagnostics and treatment.

Download Executive Summary

CENTCOM

July 2011 - Infectious Diseases and Disaster Response Conference (Abu Dhabi, UAE)

This four-day conference sponsored by AFHSC, CDHAM, USCENTCOM and hosted by the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces, aimed to promote regional interoperability and enhance the capability of regional countries to respond to complex humanitarian and health emergencies, with a particular focus on response to infectious disease-related disasters such as pandemics.

Download Executive Summary

June 2011 - Infectious Disease Border Issues Conference (Amman, Jordan)

This conference, sponsored by AFHSC, CDHAM, and USCENTCOM, and hosted by the Jordanian Royal Medical Service (RMS), was comprised of three days of combined didactics and a table top exercise. The primary theme was to bring together essential policy makers in order to strengthen inter-ministerial level relationships and share priorities, successes, and challenges in preparedness and mitigation capabilities directed at pandemic influenza, emerging infectious diseases and other potential public health emergencies. The majority of participants were military offices from the RMS. Other organizations represented included the Jordan Ministry of Health, Jordan Ministry of Interior, Public Security Directorate, Jordan Customs Department, Civil Defense Agency, Jordan Food and Drug Administration, Jordan hospitals and local universities, World Health Organization (WHO-Jordan), US Department of Homeland Security, and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA).

Download Executive Summary

October 2010 - Emerging Infectious Disease Conference (Amman, Jordan)

This three-day conference, sponsored by AFHSC, CDHAM, and USCENTCOM, hosted by the Jordanian Royal Medical Service, was comprised of three days of combined didactics and a table top exercise. The main purpose was to allow senior level representatives from the Levant and Gulf regions to articulate national plans, priorities, policies, strategies and challenges in preparedness and responses directed against emerging diseases that could be considered relevant to public health.

EUCOM

May 2011 - Countering Biological Threats: National Implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention (Tbilisi, Georgia)
Multinational Outbreak Response and Bioterrorism Investigation Demonstration

This three-day forum, held by AFHSC in conjunction with USEUCOM, CDHAM, and the Department of Health and Human Services, hosted by the government of Georgia, aimed to support pandemic influenza, emerging infectious disease, and biothreat planning and response for Georgian / Black Sea Regional Initiative Ministry of Health, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Environmental Services, and interagency partners. This workshop was a follow-up to the previous success of the Trilateral civilian-to-military forum held in Moldova in October 2010, with extended outreach to the Black Sea Regional countries.

For more information and to download the complete After Action Report, please visit the DHHS website:
http://www.phe.gov/Preparedness/international/Pages/counteringthreats.aspx

October 2010 - Trilateral Civilian-Military Forum on Outbreak Response and Bioterrorism Investigation (Chişinău, Moldova)

This three-day forum, held by AFHSC in conjunction with USEUCOM, CDHAM, and Department of Health and Human Services, and hosted by the government of Moldova, aimed to promote military-to-military, military-to-civilian and interagency cooperation, coordination and synchronization for preparing, detecting, and responding to infectious disease outbreaks, whether natural, accidental, or deliberate in nature. The forum brought together participants from military and civilian public health agencies, law enforcement and representatives of inter-governmental organizations to strengthen core capacities required by the WHO International Health Regulations (2005) and existing national measures consistent with obligations under the Biological Weapons Convention and the UN Security Council Resolution 1540 to deter, prevent, or respond to biological incidents or threats.

For more information and to download the complete After Action Report, please visit the DHHS website:
http://www.phe.gov/Preparedness/international/Pages/orbitforum.aspx

NORTHCOM

June 2011 - NORTHCOM Surgeon's "One Health" Conference (Colorado Springs, CO)

This two-day conference, held by AFHSC in conjunction with USNORTHCOM and CDHAM, aimed to promote "One Health" awareness, international communication and multidisciplinary collaboration among civilian and military health professionals. The conference brought together representatives from the US, Canada, Mexico and the Bahamas in order to strengthen strategic relationships and share priorities, successes and challenges in infectious disease preparedness, mitigation and response.

Download Executive Summary

PACOM

September 2011 - PACOM International Disease Surveillance Conference (Kurumba, Maldives)

Co-sponsored by PACOM, NEPMU-6, AFHSC, CDHAM and the Maldives National Defense Force, this International Disease Surveillance Conference aimed to bring together representatives from multiple south and southeast Asian countries in order to enhance regional collaboration in regards to disease surveillance and detection capacity; improve the regional disease surveillance network; and share priorities, successes and challenges in infectious disease surveillance.

Download Executive Summary

SOUTHCOM

March 2012 - Disease Outbreak Preparedness and Mitigation Workshop (San Salvador, El Salvador)

Sponsored by SOUTHCOM, AFHSC, CDHAM, COMISCA, CDC-CAR, CFAC, and PAHO, the Disease Outbreak Preparedness and Mitigation Workshop aimed to exchange information, build awareness for areas of improvement, and provide options for capacity building in disease outbreak preparedness and mitigation within the Central America region. The workshop took place in San Salvador, El Salvador with participants from El Salvador, United States, Honduras, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Panama and Spain.

Download Executive Summary

May 2011 - Medical Response Belize 2011 (Belmopan, Belize)

With support from CDHAM and AFHSC, and in coordination with other USG federal organizations, SOUTHCOM conducted Emergency Operation Center Command Post Drills with the Belizean Ministry of Health and other agencies, in order to improve foreign civilian interaction, regional cooperation and disaster relief capabilities in the region. This command post drill-- which exercised a hurricane, flooding and cholera outbreak scenario-- prepared the Belizean response system for future possible catastrophic response to pandemic influenza or other infectious disease outbreaks.

Download Executive Summary