445th Airlift Wing participates in Global Medic exercise

  • Published
  • By Stacy Vaughn
  • 445th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  The 445th Airlift Wing supported the July 18 to Aug. 2 Global Medic 2013 by sending three reservists from the 445th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron to Fort McCoy, Wis., to help with training other AES players participating in the exercise.

Global Medic is an annual joint-reserve field-training exercise designed to replicate all facets of combat theater aeromedical evacuation support.

Maj. LaDonna Schreffler, Capts. Leslie Mugg and Christopher Smith served as trainers and evaluators. Mugg said it's up to the participants to run the show but they were there to provide guidance and instruction.

"We were there not as a player in the exercise but to help the teams. We took our expertise as AES nurses and technicians and instructed the other services on how to prepare the patients for transport; patient needs, including classifying urgent and routine patients; and what kind of equipment needs to be put on the aircraft, etc.," Mugg said.

The 445th not only had AES participating, but also a C-17 Globemaster III and crew that proved instrumental to the exercise by flying participants and equipment back and forth to and from the exercise area. The C-17 with its crew participated heavily towards the end and with the wrap-up of the exercise - July 24 to Aug. 5.

Lt. Col. Stephen Schnell, 445th Operations Support Squadron chief of current ops and C-17 pilot, said the primary support for the exercise was out of Pittsburgh. But due to the unique capabilities of the C-17, its size and long distance capabilities, the unit was tasked with the heavy, long-haul sorties to Opa Locka, Fla., and to Fort Hood, Texas.

"We made 10 to 12 trips back and forth to support the exercise. One trip included transporting the Florida Advanced Surgical and Transport Team with their truck, trailer and equipment. We picked them up in Opa Locka, Fla., and brought them to Fort McCoy," Schnell said.

The C-17 was involved in multiple airlifts to the landing zone, a dirt strip called a SPRO, or semi-prepared runway operations, near Fort McCoy. The strip was less than 5000' feet in length.

"Landing on the dirt strip has been a great training opportunity for our crews. Overall, our participation in Global Medic has been a great experience for the wing to have been a part of," Schnell said.