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Emergency air drop, casualty evac vital to Afghan Commandos, U.S. Special Forces

  • Published
  • By Capt. Kristen D. Duncan
  • 451st Air Expeditionary Wing
KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan --  United States Air Force personnel provided critical medical care and supplies during an enemy engagement against Afghan National Army Commandos and U.S. Army Special Forces in western Afghanistan, Tuesday.

During a night-patrol training mission in Joy Koja village, Morghab district, Badghis province, the Commandos and Special Forces came under small arms and automatic weapons fire by at least 10 insurgents. Within an hour of the initial contact, an estimated 75 to 100 additional enemy forces amassed in several compounds from within the village. Two quick reaction forces responded, but one unit, with the U.S. Marine Corps Special Operations Command, was delayed when it hit an improvised explosive device en route. Once all three groups linked up, forces began ground-evacuating the wounded to the nearby Forward Operating Base. While ground forces continued fighting, U.S. Air Force assets in the sky immediately began to respond.

Resupplying the warfighter

Airmen from the 772nd Expeditionary Airlift Squadron at Kandahar Airfield, 774th EAS at Bagram Airfield and the 816th EAS at Al Udeid Air Base, provided necessary resupply during the 12-hour engagement. A total of 80 Container Delivery System bundles, or 140,000 lbs, were airdropped providing "what it takes to sustain long-range engagements," said U.S. Army Capt. Rebecca Lykins, CJSOTF-A public affairs officer.

Supplies included food (frozen and "halal" or traditional Muslim fare available as Meals-Ready-to-Eat), water, ammunition, fuel (JP-8, diesel and unleaded gasoline) and medical supplies.

The 772 EAS, of the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing here, was diverted to support the emergency sustainment airdrop with 18 bundles of food, water and medical supplies, which were loaded at Bagram and delivered on time, on target to the drop zone.

Within 48-hours, 200 bundles were airdropped ensuring the Afghan 4th Commando Kandak and Coalition Forces could survive and operate in the remote, mountainous area.

Saving lives

Additionally, the quick response of the brand new 79th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron assigned to the 451 AEW at Camp Bastion, Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan, was critical to recovering and saving the lives of 10 Commandos and Special Forces soldiers.

The HC-130 unit, with an airframe capable of delivering combat search and rescue and casualty evacuation, first arrived in theater March 29. During an initial orientation flight, the crew was diverted to rescue the wounded soldiers from the battlefield when rotary wing assets were unable to respond.

Due to the extended range required to get the wounded to medical treatment, a fixed wing platform was ideal to move the patients. The fixed-wing HC-130 was already airborne, capable and ready to support.

"Our crews trained hard in preparation for this theater, and I believe this event was a great example of one of the capabilities we bring to the AOR," said Air Force Capt. Amy McQuitty, 79 ERQS director of operations.

The request was initially relayed by the 41st Expeditionary Rescue Squadron, an HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter unit here, when it was determined helicopter evacuation was not a viable option. They coordinated with the Combined Air Operations Center in Southwest Asia and Regional Commands South and West in Afghanistan to assign the mission to the 79 ERQS. The seamless coordination occurred within a couple of hours of initial enemy contact, as the ground force began taking their first casualties.

The capability was "tremendous, especially when any loss of life or limb is at risk," said Army Chief Warrant Officer-3 Charles Burkett, CJSOTF-A personnel recovery director and future operations, air officer. "We couldn't get any rotary-wing medical assets in there because there was low-lying fog, and we had two helicopters nearby that couldn't get airborne because they needed fuel."

The medical crew, specially trained pararescuemen and combat rescue officers and a 41 ERQS flight surgeon, provided immediate medical care while the HC-130 aircrew flew 10 patients from Qal-e-Naw to Role 2 and Role 3 medical facilities on Heart and Bastion Airfields.

In total, three Special Forces soldiers and seven Commandos were wounded, including one Afghan commando who succumbed to his wounds. No civilian casualties were reported, and the ground force maintained contact with district leaders throughout the engagement, ensuring the safety and security of local Afghans.

The U.S. Air Force was also called on to provide close air support. With the backing of local government leaders, precision-guided munitions were released against enemy fighting positions and eliminated the threat to friendly forces.