The Army is accustomed to the rapid one-hour helicopter medical evacuation, now mandated across the Department of Defense and in Army medical regulations, yet current doctrine fails to outline how it accomplishes this in a future near-peer conflict. This monograph presents a structured focus case study comparison of the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm in order to extract insights into how the Army is postured to provide a "Golden Hour" medical evacuation in large-scale combat operations. Through the lens of history, doctrine, and capabilities, this study analyzes the impacts, changes, and effects of air medical evacuation in two types of conflict. The insights provided remain applicable to the discussion of casualty management and evacuation in the planning of future combat operations.

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the student-authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency. (References to these studies should include the foregoing statement.)