The 61st Medical Battalion of The Tennessee State Guard (State Defense Force) is at it again. After a busy year of training, missions, and joint operations, the unit again returned to the field in May for a major multi-agency exercise. This time, they partnered with the Active Duty U.S. Army’s 531st Hospital Center from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, for a four-day Mass Casualty Exercise (MASCAS) held at Millington Airport as part of Vigilant Guard.
The 531st Hospital Center is no stranger to high-stakes missions. This elite unit, whose motto is “To Preserve Life,” has deployed across the country in times of need. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, they played a critical role in the nationwide response effort. At the Javits Convention Center in New York City, the 531st, alongside the 9th Hospital Center, staffed 750 of the 1,000 beds established for emergency care. Working with the New York Guard (State Defense Force), they provided treatment for patients to alleviate pressure on overwhelmed city hospitals.
This recent MASCAS exercise brought together the tactical experience of the 531st with the readiness and adaptability of the 61st Medical Battalion. Over four days, the Tennessee State Guard soldiers fully integrated into the 531st’s operational structure. Soldiers from both the 531st Hospital Center and the 61st Medical Battalion served side by side in critical areas such as Triage, Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) lanes, Resuscitation and Surgery, Intensive Care Unit operations, Ancillary Services, and Patient Evacuation. Working side by side, soldiers from both units worked seamlessly which only strengthens the disaster response capabilities of both the State Guard and U.S. Army. In real-world emergencies, this level of coordination becomes critical to saving lives and ensuring an effective, unified response.
MASCAS, short for Mass Casualty Scenario, is a critical exercise used to test and refine emergency response to high-volume casualty events, such as natural disasters, large-scale accidents, or terrorist attacks. It simulates real-world chaos, pushing medical and logistical teams to coordinate rapid triage, emergency surgery, critical care, and evacuation procedures. This type of training prepares military medical teams for wartime scenarios and stateside disaster response alike, ensuring readiness when every second counts.
What made this exercise stand out was the seamless partnership between an Active Duty U.S. Army medical unit and a State Defense Force element. The Tennessee State Guard’s 61st Medical Battalion continues to demonstrate that State Defense Forces can train and serve alongside The U.S. Military. From the U.S. Army, Marine Corps to the U.S. Coast Guard, State Guards have been called upon to support federal forces during domestic emergencies, offering mission-critical capabilities when the nation needs them most.
The exercise concluded with a joint photo of both U.S. Army and Tennessee State Guard personnel—an image capturing unity and shared purpose.
These moments of partnership build lasting camaraderie and enhance the readiness of both state and federal military forces. They reinforce that when disaster strikes, units like the 61st Medical Battalion and the 531st Hospital Center can operate side by side—swiftly, effectively, and with one mission: to preserve life and serve the nation.
61st integrated into the US ARMY 531st Hospital Center from Fort Campbell for 4 days of MASCAS exercises for Vigilant Guard at the Millington airport. 531st made assignments as SME in Triage, ATLS lanes, Resuscitation and Surgery, ICU, holding, Ancillary Services, and Evac. Additionally 61st had the CMOC assignments of Logistic, Planning, and IC. Awesome experience and mission success!
Source: Tennessee State Guard – US Army
