According to AR 95-1, who can approve urgent surgical MEDEVAC missions?

• A. Aviation BDE CDRs and can be delegated down lower
• B. Ground Force Commander
• C. Medical Officer
• D. Battalion Commander

Answer: (A)

Urgent surgical MEDEVAC approvals come from the aviation command chain, because the air evacuation process must be fast and tightly integrated with flight planning. The Aviation Brigade Commander is designated to approve these urgent missions, since they control the air assets and overall MEDEVAC posture. To keep pace with life-saving needs, that authority can be delegated down to lower echelons when appropriate, so a unit on the ground or a senior medical officer can authorize evacuation without waiting for higher headquarters.

The other roles don’t have the authority to grant MEDEVAC missions on their own. A Ground Force Commander isn’t the approving authority for air MEDEVAC, and a Medical Officer, while central to patient care and patient-requested evacuations, doesn’t carry the final approval authority unless that delegation has been given. A Battalion Commander could be the delegated authority, but only because the Aviation Commander has delegated, not because they inherently hold the approval.