VHA, DOW and community partners exercise in Kansas City, strengthening medical readiness
VA News · · g4393217
VA Kansas City Healthcare System, alongside the VHA Office of Emergency Management, led the Kansas City Federal Coordinating Center exercise.
VA Kansas City Healthcare System brought military, federal and community partners together at Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport Oct. 15, 2026, to practice a national responsibility: receiving and coordinating care for wounded service members when wartime demands exceed military medical capacity.
KCVA, alongside the Veterans Health Administration Office of Emergency Management, led the Kansas City Federal Coordinating Center exercise. The patient reception training was part of a multi-day, hybrid, full-scale exercise testing command coordination, patient assessment, staging and tracking during a simulated military contingency.
VA’s medical expertise and readiness complemented the capabilities of the War Department, Health and Human Services, emergency responders and participating hospitals. Together, the partners practiced a response to the medical demands of large-scale combat operations, or LSCO.
The exercise reflected a broader readiness challenge discussed by Army leaders: preparing for large-scale conflict while continuing to meet needs at home. At the Association of the U.S. Army annual meeting , Maj. Gen. Bray Hopkins, deputy commanding general of U.S. Army Western Hemisphere Command, described large-scale mobilization operations as a “whole of government led whole of nation response.” Lt. Gen. Jonathan Stubbs, director of the Army National Guard, emphasized preparing for simultaneous wartime and domestic missions, noting that natural disasters would not stop during a major conflict.
In Kansas City, the focus was medical readiness: practicing how VA, DOW and community partners would receive and coordinate care for military patients during a simulated contingency.
“Medical readiness is a team effort,” said Zack Bradley, exercise director and VA area emergency manager. “This exercise brings that team together to practice our responsibilities and strengthen the connections that support patient care.”
For KCVA, the exercise translated a national mission into local action. VA’s Fourth Mission strengthens preparedness for war, terrorism, national emergencies and natural disasters while ensuring continued services for Veterans. VA also serves as the primary medical backup to the military health system during war or national emergency.
The scenario presented a sustained casualty surge that overwhelmed military medical resources and brought VA toward capacity. Participants focused on organizing patient reception, coordinating with hospitals and maintaining information needed for continued treatment.
“Our commitment to Veterans and our responsibility to support the nation both depend on preparation,” said Ryan Locascio, KCVA assistant director and incident commander. “Training with our partners helps us prepare to carry out the Fourth Mission while maintaining the care Veterans rely on.”
VA’s Fourth Mission provides medical backup to DOW during war and national emergencies while sustaining care for Veterans.
The exercise tested command activation, notifications, staffing and communications. It also gave hospitals an opportunity to examine emergency operations plans for medical surge.
The exercise gave VA’s partnership with DOW a practical focus: connecting military patient movement with medical support at home.
Patient reception teams worked through assessment, staging, transportation coordination and tracking, linking airport operations with planning for hospitals that would provide continued treatment.
A central objective was integrating HHS and National Disaster Medical System personnel and the Joint Patient Assessment Tracking System with local tracking processes. The system documents patient movement, condition, special transportation requirements and disposition.
“Every assessment and tracking entry represents a person who needs care,” Locascio said. “Practicing these processes helps teams maintain accountability and communicate the information needed for the next step.”
KCVA’s coordinating role brought VA organizations, HHS, DOW, Kansas City and Raytown fire departments, Johnson County MED-ACT and the Mid-America Regional Council into the readiness effort.
Hospital partners included AdventHealth Kansas City, BJC Health–Saint Luke’s, Children’s Mercy, North Kansas City Hospital, Prime Healthcare facilities, University Health and the University of Kansas Health System.
“Preparedness grows when we train together and act on what we learn,” Bradley said. “The relationships we strengthen here help VA Kansas City and our partners prepare to answer the nation’s call.”