Training for 445th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron conducted in the air

  • Published
  • By Stacy Vaughn
  • 445th Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  Eleven reservists assigned to the 445th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron joined eight AES crews from across the country to participate in this year's Dissimilar Aircraft Refresher Training (DART) for Air Force Reserve Command Aeromedical Evacuation squadrons in Minneapolis, Minn., Aug. 8 and 9. 

This year's DART was hosted by the 934th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, Minneapolis-St. Paul Air Reserve Station, Minn. Other participants came from Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, and March Air Reserve Base, Calif. 

The purpose of DART is to provide AES nurses and technicians a bulk of their semi-annual training requirements by having each participant train on different aircraft not typically flown at their home stations. Aircraft participating included; two KC-135 Stratotankers from Grissom Air Reserve Base, Ind., and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N. C.; one C-17 Globemaster III from Dover Air Force Base, Del., and one C-130 Hercules from Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. 

"Each squadron has a primary aircraft that they fly on. For us, it's the C-130. For our job, we have to be qualified to fly on three different airframes," 2nd Lt. Katie Spellman, 445th AES flight nurse, said. 

The role of an AES is to be ready to fill the need when events like natural disasters, war or routine medical transportation by air is required. Each AES crew carries with them the necessary equipment to turn any cargo aircraft in the Air Force inventory into a flying ambulance almost instantly. DART allows the crews to maintain this readiness. 

Lieutenant Spellman said the training involved taking the various AES participants on board their selected aircraft and giving them hands-on instruction into their capabilities, training on different configurations, how to load different patient loads and egress or evacuation procedures. Then it was time for each crew to fly their mission on their designated aircraft followed by rotating to a different airframe. 

Each mission lasted approximately two hours and had simulated patients the crews ran medical emergency training procedures on. Burn victims, cardiac arrests and abdominal wounds were some of the different scenarios each crew experienced during the training.
"We had various scenarios that we went through to help us hone in on our skills. One of our simulated patients we were transporting had an abdominal wound and then she went into cardiac arrest," Lieutenant Spellman said. "It was very realistic," she added.
A comment shared by the 445th AES reservists was techniques they picked up from other AES crews that they can use and take back with them. 

"It was fantastic to be able to mingle with aeromedical crews from other units to see the similarities and the differences in which we operate before loading the patients on the aircraft. It was also refreshing to know that we are all on the same page once the patients are involved," Tech. Sgt. Keith Beckerich, 445th AES technician, said. 

Each reservist from the 445th AES that participated in DART said the training they received was very realistic and worth going through. 

"This was a great opportunity and the Airmen of the 445th Airlift Wing would greatly benefit if we could host one of these events in the near future," Master Sgt. Johnny Gornall, 445th AES technician, said.