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Afghan Air Force Takes Aeromedical Evacuation to the Next Level

  • Published
  • By Capt. Rob Leese
  • 438th AEW PAO
KABUL, Afghanistan --  Afghan National Security Forces and the International Security Force successfully executed NATO's contingency plan to conduct an aeromedical evacuation of the Kandahar Regional Medical Center (KRMH) on Sept. 12, 2010.

Afghan Air Force Flight Medics, working in concert with their NATO Air Training Command-Afghanistan Advisors, NATO's Casualty Aeromedical Staging Facility, other ISAF aeromedical assets and the Afghan National Army's 205th Corps and KRMH transported, loaded and flew 12 patients on an ISAF C-130 to the National Military Hospital in Kabul to demonstrate a partnered bed clearing capability.

When the U.S. Air Force C-130 arrived at the Afghan Air Force's Kandahar Air Wing, KAW's aerial port and medical personnel loaded eight litter and four ambulatory 205th Corps' patients. This effort capped a 6 month effort to educate, train and integrate the Afghan Air Force's growing aeromedical evacuation capabilities into the coalition efforts. Advisors from the 738th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group and ISAF Joint Command have been describing the USAF aeromedical evacuation processes from start to finish to their Kandahar Air Wing counterparts and suggesting that the Afghan Air Force model their efforts on proven techniques and procedures.

Lt. Hazim, KAW's Aerial Port Flight Chief, expressed appreciation for this opportunity and told his advisors he learned a lot and wants to incorporate some of the processes the USAF uses into the Afghan Aerial Port patient loading at KAW. Capt. Aziz, Sgt. Gulap, Sgt. Haleem, Sgt. Major Haiatullah, KAW AAF flight medics with Major Baer, 441st Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron Advisor, flew with the 12 Kandahar Regional Medical Hospital patients to Kabul on an ISAF C-130, a first-time partnering with IJC for the Kandahar Air Wing medics. The Flight Medics also received in-flight instruction on caring for their patients and transloaded the patients from the C-130 to waiting ANSF ambulances, which took the patients to the National Military Hospital in Kabul.

The Afghan Air Force worked "Showna ba Showna" with a number of International Joint Coalition and Afghan National Army organizations to integrate their capabilities into NATO's efforts. The NATO Casualty Aeromedical Staging Facility at the Kandahar Air Field, U.S. Air Force flight crews and aeromedical evacuation teams from Bagram Air Base partnered with the Afghan Air Force and the ANA's 205th Corps and the KRMH. NATO's Regional Command-South medical officials requested an IJC C-130 using the Patient Movement Request process and Joint Patient Movement Requirement Center to track and support the effort. Overall, the professional effort of everyone involved validated ISAF's contingency plan for KRMH Bed Clearing that can be called upon during crisis.

The professionalism and outstanding efforts all involved validated NATO's contingency plan for KRMH Bed Clearing and demonstrated yet another aspect of the successful partnership between the ANSF and NATO. This aeromedical mission also takes the AAF's operational capabilities to next level as they help provide for the safety, security and stability of Afghanistan.