FT Belvoir Joint Training Event Modernizes Battlefield Care with Integrated Tech Demonstration

FORT BELVOIR, Va.
03.27.2026
Story by Lt. Jusen C. GarciaCordero, Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Manjinder Singh, and Phillip Hochevar
Navy Medical Readiness Training Command Fort Belvoir

FORT BELVOIR, Va.– A recent training event showcased significant advancements in modernizing combat care, bringing together personnel from Navy Medical Readiness Training Command Fort Belvoir, the Soldier Integration Facility, the Joint Trauma System, and key industry partners to test new technologies.

The event focused on enhancing battlefield situational awareness and improving medical outcomes by demonstrating a fully integrated tactical medical ecosystem during a Joint Trauma System Valkyrie Emergency Fresh Whole Blood Transfusion Course.

During the event, medical service members demonstrated skills in transfusing emergency fresh whole blood. They also used the Battlefield Assisted Trauma Distributed Observation Kit (BATDOK) on smartphone devices to document treatments. The BATDOK system connected to advanced wearable tech including Garmin watches and other physiological sensors from the Mayo Clinic and NIRSence to track vital signs in real time.

That data moved through a Tactical Awareness Kit (TAK) server architecture for shared operational visualization before feeding into the Non-classified Internet Protocol Router (NIPR) instance of the Maven Smart System, also known as Palantir Maven, to support patient tracking, logistics, and visibility. Moving this medically relevant data from the point of injury to higher-level platforms supports both operational and clinical decisions.

The event also demonstrated that the ecosystem could operate across multiple military and commercial communications methods, including TrellisWare systems, AN/PRC-163 radios, Wi-Fi, cellular networks, satellite transport, goTenna, Iridium inReach, and IXANA’s body-mediated data transfer technology. Operating across varied transport pathways reinforced the system’s utility in distributed, degraded, and contested environments where communications availability may differ by mission, terrain, and echelon.

“I'm proud to be the first BSO-18 command accredited to host Valkyrie training, and even more excited for our technological advancements that will help save lives on the battlefield,” said Hospital Corpsman 1st Class James Bean, a Valkyrie instructor.

One of the standout moments was the demonstration of heads-up display capabilities within the Enhanced Night Vision Goggle-Binoculars, allowing instructors to monitor patient vitals during simulated blood transfusions. This technology has the potential to greatly improve a medical service member’s ability to triage and treat casualties effectively.

Senior visitors from the Department of Homeland Security and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency also attended, observing how the ecosystem’s approach to real-time medical data sharing and situational awareness could apply beyond the military services to broader federal operational and intelligence missions.

While the event was a success, it also highlighted areas for improvement, such as refining sensor accuracy and automating data transfer processes.

“Our command’s first priority is to Ensure Expeditionary Medical Units Are Survivable and Ready,” saidCapt. Andrew H. Lin, commanding officer of NMRTC FT. Belvoir. “Events like these are critical because the threats are real and our Role 2’s are vulnerable. Providing our medical personnel with the most advanced technology and current clinical training is the least we can do for our service members.”

The findings from this Valkyrie training and medical information technology integration demonstration will inform future efforts and ensure U.S. forces remain at the forefront of medical effectiveness.