9-Line MEDEVAC Request
A 9-Line MEDEVAC request is a standardized NATO military procedure used to request urgent medical evacuation, containing nine critical lines of information transmitted via radio to secure air or ground transport. Lines 1-5 must be transmitted within 25 seconds for initial contact, with lines 6-9 following.
9-Line MEDEVAC Request Breakdown
Line 1: Location of Pickup Site: 8-digit grid coordinate with grid zone letters.
Line 2: Radio Frequency, Call Sign, & Suffix: Contact information for the unit at the pickup site.
Line 3: Number of Patients by Precedence:
A – Urgent (needs treatment within 2 hours).
B – Urgent Surgical.
C – Priority (needs treatment within 4 hours).
D – Routine.
E – Convenience.
Line 4: Special Equipment Required:
A – None.
B – Hoist.
C – Extraction equipment.
D – Ventilator.
Line 5: Number of Patients by Type:
L – Litter (number of patients).
A – Ambulatory (number of patients).
Line 6: Security/Injuries:
Wartime: Security of pickup site (N: No enemy, P: Possible enemy, E: Enemy in area, X: Escort required).
Peacetime: Number/type of wounds (gunshot/shrapnel).
Line 7: Method of Marking Pickup Site:
A – Panels.
B – Pyrotechnic signal.
C – Smoke signal.
D – None.
E – Other.
Line 8: Patient Nationality and Status:
A – US Military.
B – US Civilian.
C – Non-US Military.
D – Non-US Civilian.
E – EPW (Enemy Prisoner of War).
Line 9: Terrain/NBC Contamination:
Wartime: Nuclear, Biological, or Chemical (NBC) contamination.
Peacetime: Detailed terrain description.
Commonly Used Accompanying Reports
MIST Report: Mechanism of Injury, Injuries sustained, Signs/Symptoms, Treatments.
NBC/CBRN Report: If contamination is present in Line 9.
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9-Line MEDEVAC request is a standardized military report used to coordinate the rapid evacuation of casualties. It ensures that life-saving information is transmitted clearly to medical and aviation assets under extreme stress.
The 9-Line Breakdown
Lines 1 through 5 are the minimum required to be transmitted immediately to get the aircraft or vehicle moving. Lines 6 through 9 can be transmitted while the asset is en route.
Line 1: Location of Pickup Site – Provided as an eight-digit grid coordinate.
Line 2: Radio Frequency, Call Sign, and Suffix – The frequency of the requesting unit and the call sign of the person at the pickup site.
Line 3: Number of Patients by Precedence – Categorized by urgency:
A: Urgent (Life, limb, or eyesight; within 2 hours).
B: Urgent Surgical (Requires immediate surgery).
C: Priority (Deterioration possible; within 4 hours).
D: Routine (Stable; within 24 hours).
E: Convenience.
Line 4: Special Equipment Required – Tools needed for extraction:
A: None, B: Hoist, C: Extraction Equipment, or D: Ventilator.
Line 5: Number of Patients by Type – Reported by how they must be transported:
L + #: Litter (non-ambulatory).
A + #: Ambulatory (able to walk).
Line 6: Security of Pickup Site (Wartime) – Assessing enemy presence:
N: No enemy, P: Possible enemy, E: Enemy in area, or X: Armed escort required.
Note: In peacetime, this line reports the number and type of wound/injury instead.
Line 7: Method of Marking Pickup Site – How the unit will identify the LZ:
A: Panels, B: Pyrotechnic, C: Smoke (specify color), D: None, or E: Other.
Line 8: Patient Nationality and Status – Helps with facility planning and security needs:
A: US Military, B: US Civilian, C: Non-US Military, D: Non-US Civilian, or E: Enemy Prisoner of War (EPW).
Line 9: NBC Contamination (Wartime) – Reports Nuclear, Biological, or Chemical hazards.
Note: In peacetime, this line describes the terrain (e.g., mountains, lakes, towers).
Supplemental: The MIST Report
A MIST report is often provided after the 9-line to give medics more clinical detail:
M: Mechanism of injury (e.g., GSW, IED).
I: Injury or illness sustained.
S: Signs and vital signs.
T: Treatment given (e.g., tourniquet applied).