text: Chapter 9
  9-67. Successful execution of an air assault may be decisive to accomplishing the mission, but it is not
  necessarily the decisive operation. Air assaults often are conducted as shaping operations to establish the
  conditionsforthedecisive operationthroughthe effectsrenderedontheenemyandterrain. An exampleof
  this is a company conducting an air assault to seize a bridge and secure a crossing site in support of a
  combinedarmsbattalion-levelattackthatrequiresthebridgeas a crossingsite.
  9-68. Similarly,the AATFsetsthe conditionsfor asuccessfulair assaultbyconductingshapingoperations
  ofitsown. The AATFCmayemploygroundandairreconnaissanceunits, attackaviationunits, UAS,close
  air support, and artilleryfiresto conductshapingoperationsto mitigate the levelof risk for executing the
  airassault.
  SECTION VII – MEDICAL AND CASUALTY EVACUATION
  9-69. Medical evacuation refers to both air and ground casualty evacuation. Air medical evacuation
  employs air assets from the air ambulance companies assigned to the combat aviation brigade and air
  medical evacuation general support aviation battalions to evacuate casualties. Dedicated air medical
  evacuation aircraft include specifically trained medical personnel to provide en route care. The nine-line
  medicalevacuationrequestisthestandardmethodtorequestmedicalevacuation.
  9-70. Casualty evacuation refers to the use of nonmedical vehicles or aircraft to evacuate casualties. Use
  casualtyevacuationonly whenthe numberofcasualtiesexceeds the medicalevacuationassetsorwhenthe
  urgency of evacuation exceeds the risk of waiting for medical evacuation assets to arrive. Typically, air
  assaults plan for both air and ground evacuations. (Refer to FM 3-04.113 and ATP 4-02.2 for more
  information.)
  MEDICAL EVACUATION PLANNING
  9-71. The combat aviation brigade allocates medical evacuation assets to the supported AATF for the
  durationoftheairassault.However,thesizeanddistanceoftheplannedairassault dictates theduration of
  medical evacuation support to the AATFC. As a rule, the supporting commander should provide medical
  evacuationassetstothesupportedcommanderuntilgroundlinesofcommunicationsareestablished.
  9-72. Typically, the evacuation platoon leader from the brigade support medical company and the air
  ambulance platoon leader from the air ambulance company conduct the medical evacuation planning for
  the airassault.Theydoso incoordination withtheAATF S-1,AATF S-4, BAE, AATF S-3,supportedunit
  S-3, BCT surgeon section, and BCT support medical company commander. The air ambulance platoon
  leader should briefthe medicalevacuationplanatthe AMCM, AMB, and health service supportrehearsal.
  Whenplanningformedicalevacuationduringanairassaulttheyshould—
  (cid:122) Integrategroundevacuationmeasuresintotheoverallmedicalevacuationplan.
  (cid:122) Plan medical evacuation routes to Level II or III health care facilities. Ensure all aircrews
  participatingintheairassaultknowtheseroutes.
  (cid:122) Planformedicalpersonneltoflyoncasualtyevacuationaircraftiftimeandsituationpermit.
  (cid:122) Ensure medical evacuation crews are available for air assault orders, rehearsals, and
  preparations.
  (cid:122) Briefcasualtycollectionpointlocationsandmarkingsduringtheairassaultrehearsal.
  (cid:122) Plantomaintain a forwardarmingandrefuelingpoint(FARP)aftertheairassaultiscompleted
  sothatmedicalevacuationaircrafthave a stagingplaceforfollow-ongroundtacticaloperations.
  9-73. Medical evacuation aircraft are limited assets and should be scheduled and used accordingly. The
  AATF’s casualty estimate provides planning guidance for the number of medical evacuation aircraft
  needed to support the air assault. To maximize the amount of mission hours they can support the mission,
  personnel should stage medical evacuation aircraft to support an air assault at the latest possible time.
  Medical evacuation aircraftshouldsupportshortdistance air assaultsfromthepickup zone(PZ)or brigade
  support area. Aircraft may stage at a FARP or use a restricted operations zone to expedite pick up of
  casualtiesinlongdistanceairassaults.