DarkDot Submitting a 9-Line MEDEVAC Request
Complete field procedure for composing and transmitting a 9-line MEDEVAC request, from point of injury through acknowledgment by a medical evacuation asset, including common errors and time-critical shortcuts.
The 9-line MEDEVAC request is the doctrinal standard for requesting medical evacuation across NATO and allied forces. Transmitting an accurate 9-line within the first minutes of casualty care is one of the most decisive actions available to a team leader or medic — it initiates the MEDEVAC process while care is still being rendered.
Do not wait until the patient is packaged to transmit the 9-line. Send what you know immediately. Update with corrections on a follow-up call.
The Nine Lines
Line 1: Location of pickup site
Line 2: Radio frequency, callsign, and suffix
Line 3: Number of patients by precedence
Line 4: Special equipment required
Line 5: Number of patients by type
Line 6: Security at pickup site
Line 7: Method of marking pickup site
Line 8: Patient nationality and status
Line 9: NBC contamination
Line-by-Line Breakdown
Line 1 — Location of Pickup Site
Provide a 10-digit MGRS grid of the pickup site — not the point of injury if the CCP is at a different location.
Example:
18TWL 80423 56119
If exact MGRS is unavailable: provide the nearest named terrain feature, road junction, or grid from the operational overlay with a distance and direction offset.
Line 2 — Radio Frequency, Callsign, and Suffix
The frequency and callsign of the person at the pickup site who will guide the aircraft in.
Example:
46.425, TOMAHAWK 2-6, ROMEO
The suffix identifies the operator (Alpha, Bravo, Romeo, etc.) and distinguishes callsigns when multiple elements share the same primary designator.
Line 3 — Number of Patients by Precedence
Report the count at each precedence level, not the individual details.
| Code | Precedence | Evacuation Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| U | Urgent | Within 1 hour — patient will die without immediate evacuation |
| US | Urgent Surgical | Within 2 hours — requires surgery to survive |
| P | Priority | Within 4 hours — serious condition, will degrade without treatment |
| R | Routine | Within 24 hours — stable, no immediate life threat |
| C | Convenience | No time constraint — administrative evacuation |
Example:
1 Urgent, 2 Priority(do NOT list names or injuries on this line)
Line 4 — Special Equipment Required
| Code | Equipment |
|---|---|
| A | None |
| B | Hoist (no suitable LZ available) |
| C | Extraction equipment (Stokes litter, forest penetrator) |
| D | Ventilator |
Example:
Alpha(no special equipment)
Line 5 — Number of Patients by Type
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| L | Litter — unable to walk, must be carried |
| A | Ambulatory — able to walk to the aircraft |
Example:
1 Litter, 2 Ambulatory
Line 6 — Security at Pickup Site
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| N | No enemy troops in area |
| P | Possible enemy troops in area — use caution |
| E | Enemy troops in area — armed escort required |
| X | Armed escort provided — request for armed aircraft escort |
Example:
Possible
Never transmit Line 6 in the clear on an unsecured net — use the letter code, not the plain-text description.
Line 7 — Method of Marking Pickup Site
| Code | Method |
|---|---|
| A | Panels (VS-17) |
| B | Pyrotechnic signal (smoke) |
| C | Strobe light |
| D | Flashing light (combat torch, headlamp) |
| E | IR marker / IR strobe (NVG-equipped aircraft required) |
| F | None |
Example:
Bravo(smoke)
Do not transmit smoke color in advance on unsecured nets. Identify color only when the aircraft reports it over the site to prevent enemy exploitation.
Line 8 — Patient Nationality and Status
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A | US Military |
| B | US Civilian |
| C | Non-US Military |
| D | Non-US Civilian |
| E | Enemy Prisoner of War (EPW) |
Example:
Alpha(US Military)
Line 9 — NBC Contamination
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| N | Nuclear |
| B | Biological |
| C | Chemical |
Report only if applicable. If no contamination, transmit: None.
Example:
None
Complete Example Transmission
"DUSTOFF, DUSTOFF, DUSTOFF — this is TOMAHAWK 2-6 with a 9-line, over."
[Acknowledgment received]
"Line 1: 18TWL 80423 56119
Line 2: 46.425, TOMAHAWK 2-6, ROMEO
Line 3: 1 Urgent, 1 Priority
Line 4: Alpha
Line 5: 1 Litter, 1 Ambulatory
Line 6: November [use code on unsecured nets]
Line 7: Bravo
Line 8: Alpha
Line 9: None
How copy? Over."
Common Errors to Avoid
| Error | Consequence |
|---|---|
| Transmitting smoke color in advance | Enemy can deploy matching smoke to divert aircraft |
| Using point of injury grid instead of CCP grid | Aircraft lands in wrong location |
| Waiting for complete information | Delays MEDEVAC; transmit a partial 9-line immediately |
| Plain-text Line 6 on unsecured nets | Operational security breach |
| Forgetting to update after initial call | Aircraft arrives with wrong patient count or equipment requirement |
Precedence Identification Guide
Use this logic to determine precedence at the point of injury:
- Is the airway compromised and unresponsive to basic intervention? → Urgent Surgical
- Uncontrolled hemorrhage from junctional wound (groin, axilla, neck)? → Urgent Surgical
- Responsive but deteriorating? Tourniquet applied, airway managed? → Urgent
- Stable vitals, no immediate life threat, but requires IV/medication? → Priority
- Walking wounded, no life threat? → Routine