| Unit Name: | Multinational Medical Coordination Centre - Europe (MMCC-E) |
| Dates: | April 2018 |
| Country: | Germany, Rhineland-Palatinate |
| Allegiance: | European Medical Services (DoI) |
| Type: | Medical Unit |
| Current Commander: | Brigadier General (MD) Stefan Kowitz |
| Garrison: | Rhein-Kaserne, Koblenz |
| Motto: | "Combining Efforts in Medical Support" |
| Website: | http://www.mmcc-emc.org |
The Multinational Medical Coordination Centre-Europe (MMCC-E) is a medical coordinating centre in support of the European medical services.[1] It is directly subordinated to the German Armed Forces' Joint Medical Service Command and the German Surgeon General. It was formed on 1 April 2018 in the Rhine-Barracks, Koblenz, Germany, where it also has its HQ.
On 2 May 2017, the Surgeon Generals from eight European NATO members states signed a fundamental document towards an intensified and sustainable cooperation within the context of NATO's Framework Nations Concept (FNC) Cluster Medical Support. After signing this Declaration of Intent at the cornerstone-laying ceremony at the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress in Koblenz, Germany, a collective planning and coordinating unit for European Armed Forces was going to be formed - the Multinational Medical Coordination Centre. To support the collaboration of Medical Commands on a multinational level in an effective and goal-oriented way, this Multinational Coordination Centre was set up under the lead management on the German Armed Forces Joint Medical Service Command and is run together with all participating nations. The multinational staffed department started working in April 2018. In the following year, the cooperation with the Centre of Excellence in Military Medicine (MilMedCoE) regarding some fields was intensified. Also, the British Defence Medical Service (DMS) joined the MMCC as the then ninth member.
In 2019, the PESCO project European Medical Command (EMC)[2] was ordered to work with the MMCC by the German Surgeon General. This meant virtually merging both projects into one entity, and setting up staff for both at the same time - following the motto "two initiatives – one task". Consequentially, the MMCC/EMC was formed, celebrating its Initial Operation Capability (IOC) on 3 and 4 September with an opening ceremony at the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress and Rhine-Barracks both in Koblenz, Germany. Here, the Surgeon Generals of 14 nations signed a Declaration merging both organizations, the MMCC (NATO/FNC) and EMC (EU/PESCO), into one: MMCC/EMC. This unique department proves the growing cooperation between NATO and the EU.Signing the Declaration of Initial Operational Capability MMCC/EMC during the COMEDs Plenary in Brussels on 27 November 2019, Slovakia became the 15th member nation. In the course of 2020, Poland, Spain and Lithuania also signed the Declaration on the Initial Operational Capability of the MMCC/EMC, so that currently 18 nations are member states of the MMCC/EMC.
Through its recent agreement with the United States Army the Multinational Medical Coordination Center/ European Medical Command (MMCC/EMCy) is tightening its network of international contacts once again. On May 11, 30th Medical Brigade Commander Colonel Jason Wieman and MMCC/EMC Director Surgeon General Dr. Stefan Kowitz signed the protocol for the assignment of a United States Army Europe and Africa (USAREUR-AF) Liaison Officer to MMCC/EMC in Koblenz.[3]
The Full Operational Capability (FOC) of the MMCC/EMC was signed by the nations during the NATO COMEDS Plenary in Madrid on 30 May 2022.[4]
In August 2022, the MMCC/EMC continued to consolidate its network of international contact points through an agreement with the Confédération Interalliée des Officiers Médicaux de Réserve (CIOMR).
The wargaming exercise taking place in April will focus on a conflict scenario in the context of national and alliance defence. In this exercise, the focus is on the complete evacuation of injured and wounded from the front to their respective home country.
Through a series of medical service simulation games (Medical Wargamings), the MMCC/EMC has gained a solid reputation. Thus, it influences, for example, the conceptual development of patient transport from conflict zones. The member nations recently discussed what role the MMCC/EMC could play with regards to this in the future.
The next major exercise of the MMCC–E, “Casualty Move 2024” (CAMO24), currently under development, will draw on a major joint operation scenario with activation of the collective defence and mutual assistance clauses to train the national echelons of health crises management on bulk patient flow, with the prospect of a enhanced civil-military cooperation.” In autumn 2023, the representatives of the MMCC/EMC participating nations agreed to change the name to “Multinational Medical Coordination Centre – Europe”, in short “MMCC-E”.
The main mission of the MMCC-E is the creation of the necessary conditions for the multinational medical support of Armed Forces within their wide range of tasks, supporting the already growing development towards more international cooperation. It also functions as a catalyst for the field of Capability Enhancement.
Specific tasks include:
Subordinated to Director MMCC-E
| Nr. | Name | Country | Commencement of post | End of post |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Brigadier General (MD) Stefan Kowitz | August 2019 | ongoing | |
| 1 | Brigadier General (MD) Bruno Most | April 2018 | July 2019 | |
| Nr. | Name | Country | Commencement of post | End of post | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Colonel (MD) David Lacassagne | September 2022 | ongoing | ||
| 1 | Colonel (MD) Thierry Lanteri | September 2020 | August 2022 |
| Nr. | Name | Country | Commencement of post | End of post | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Colonel Andreas Klaus Godau | 19 December 2023 | ongoing | ||
| 3 | Colonel (GS) Jochen Thumser | November 2019 | 18 December 2023 | ||
| 2 | Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Jäckel | August 2018 | October 2019 | ||
| 1 | Colonel (MD) Egon Ritter | April 2018 | July 2018 |