WRIGHT PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- In an operational environment, Air Force medical personnel are counted upon to excel at delivering quality medical care and life-saving capabilities in any environment. The ability of these Airmen to achieve their objectives depends on the rigorous training and testing that they undergo to maintain their proficiency and boost their effectiveness.
The intensive and comprehensive skillset that 445th Airlift Wing medical field Airmen possess was on full display April 6, 2019 during the Agile Combat Support exercise here. During the exercise, both the 445th Aeromedical Staging Squadron and the 445th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron conducted realistic medical staging and evacuation.
While they have different functional requirements, both squadrons are part of the same overall mission and both interact constantly during emergency scenarios to achieve their mutual objective: the medical care and subsequent safety of their fellow service members.
“This is more of a real world experience instead of a traditional training experience,” said Capt. Brianne Koessel, a flight nurse with the 445th AES. “Having the interface between the squadrons and gaining experience together is extremely valuable, especially when our job is to bring wounded warriors home.”
During the exercise, Airmen from ASTS brought “patients” from a “warzone” and transferred them to a staging area where they linked up with AES and a C-17 Globemaster III for aerial transport. At that point, the patients were loaded onto the plane and evacuated. During the flight, members of the AES and ASTS provided care in the sky. Upon landing, the patients were again transferred to ASTS for staging and ground transport.
The loading and unloading of multiple patients took place during a matter of minutes, medical personnel safely yet quickly moving the wounded to where they needed to go and gaining valuable experience in the process.
“This kind of hands-on training is important,” said Senior Airman Eric Ledford, a medical technician with the 445th ASTS. “Getting the opportunity to work alongside the other squadrons and seeing how the mission comes together from their end puts the entire mission in perspective.”
This comprehensive training not only showcased the ability of all squadrons involved to work together as a unified element, but it simulated a more accurate working model of emergency situations in a deployed environment.