Medic chooses service over recognition

Published July 29, 2011
By Tech. Sgt. Emily F. Alley
451st AEW Public Affairs

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- On July 20, Staff Sgt. Christina Johnson had an opportunity to meet Command Sgt. Maj. Marvin Hill, the senior enlisted U.S. military member in Afghanistan, but she was called to assist an Airman who needed her.

Johnson, an independent duty medical technician with the 74th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, was about to leave her office for a recognition luncheon for outstanding performers, hosted by Hill, when she was called to help a dehydrated aircraft maintainer.

Johnson missed the luncheon to go to the flightline of Kandahar Airfield, where she helped Staff Sgt. Jason Woods, 451th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron engine mechanic.
"I was pale and woozy," said Woods, who had had help walking into the shade from the 120-degree flightline.

Johnson gave the maintainer anti-nausea medication so he could stop vomiting and administered an IV to help him re-hydrate.

Dehydration is one of the most common issues she has seen in her four months at Kandahar AF. In that time, she has responded to almost 800 medical cases from pilots and maintenance Airmen. She has treated sunburns, crushed fingers, cuts and scrapes. A-10 Thunderbolt II maintainers sometimes catch gashes, commonly called Hog-bites after the aircraft's nickname, the Warthog, while working on the plane.

She's seen rashes on the soles of maintainers' feet from walking on the aircraft. The metal collects so much heat throughout the day that it melts the glue in a crew chief's boots, she said.

She learned about their challenges by experience, taking an entire day to work a 12-hour shift on the flightline along with them. Johnson has done similar immersion in the past, such as parachuting with pararescue airmen at her home station, Moody Air Force Base, Ga. The experience makes her a better medic, she said, because she can better understand the strain their bodies go through.

"She really showed an incredible amount of compassion for the maintainers and brought up suggestions to make their quality of lives better," said Capt. Jhames Illanez, 451 EMXG maintenance operations officer.

Johnson worked with Illanez, and the support of commander Lt. Col. James Clark, to install hand-washing and eye-washing stations for the maintainers. She helped give them rest areas after she saw their only shade was under the wings of the aircraft.

Eventually she hopes to find a way to keep water refrigerated on the flightline. In the meantime, the pilots and other offices of the 451st AEW will often bring out cold drinks and show the maintainers that they appreciate their effort to keep the aircraft flying.

"It's tough work in the heat and the dust," said Capt. Charles Stretch, an A-10 pilot. "I have a lot of respect for them."

Johnson was deployed specifically to care for Stretch and the other pilots of the 74th EFS, but she made the effort to also ensure the crew chiefs and other maintainers that keep the planes flying are also healthy.

"Maintenance takes care of my pilots. It's only fair to take care of the maintainers," said Johnson.

Because of her efforts, Johnson was invited to attend the outstanding performers' luncheon with Command Sergeant Major Hill. Instead, she returned to the flightline to help Woods.

"She made the right choice," said Chief Master Sgt. Robert Rohn, from the 451st Operations Group. "She chose service before self."

During a pilot briefing, a week after the command sergeant major's luncheon, Rohn presented Johnson with a coin on Hill's behalf.

Her recognition came a week later, but surrounded by the people she helps.