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AE, CASF ready forces, make history

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Renni Thornton
  • 451 Air Expeditionary Wing/Public Affairs
Afghanistan --  When thousands of coalition forces were headed to Helmand Province for Operation Moshtarak, the Air Force postured medical support, ultimately writing history.

It was clear to military leaders that additional medical facilities were required to support area hospitals.

To do that, facilities needed to be in place, up and running by Feb. 1. It was then that medical professionals from around the world converged on Camp Bastion, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, to make history.

"The initial thought was to prepare for large numbers of casualties from this operation," said Lt. Col. Elizabeth Shaw, 451st Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron commander.

In anticipation, it was decided that a Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility complete with supplies and personnel, along with aeromedical evacuation teams, needed to be in place before the operation began.

"We realized that we needed to set up two CASFs," she said.

One needed to be close to the nearest medical facility in the region and one needed to be here at Kandahar Airfield.

In the end, the CASF was split, another feat that had never been done before. The personnel required for a 25-bed facility was split in two. Logistically, the unit had enough tents and supplies for full CASFs at both locations, Colonel Shaw said.

At Camp Bastion, there were some initial challenges.

The men and women of the 451st Aeromedical Evacuation Operations Team began with just a planned area of space, said Maj. Terry Williamson, director of operations.

"When we arrived mid-January, there was nothing here," he said. "No tents, no facilities, nothing. And we were on orders to get this place stood up and ready to assist patients by Feb. 1. Yes, we were unsure if it could be done, but we did it, and on time."

On that day, the 451st Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation flight started out with 38 people assigned.

The intent of these facilities is to care for stabilized patients and continue their care while being transported to other medical care facilities at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan and, in some cases, to Landsthul Regional Medical Facility, five kilometers south of Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

The CASF is designed to care for patients with more serious injuries while they wait for transport, said Major Williamson.

It would be the first time Air Force Medical Services would launch this type of unit in Afghanistan.

With the help of an advance construction team, the group was able to set-up 16 tents, receive and store medical supplies, and restroom facilities, along with a 26-bed contingency aeromedical staging facility within a two-week timeframe.

"What we did not anticipate was the number of casualties. So we were very, very, thankful that we barely saw the minimum level of the expected casualties versus the maximum expected. Our crews were not that busy, but that is okay with us.

"We were happy not to be busy because that meant that our soldiers weren't getting injured or killed. Another thing that was a bit different is that not only were we transporting U.S. soldiers and coalition soldiers, but we were also transporting Afghan National Army, Afghan National Police and local nationals and detainees," said Colonel Shaw.

But, during Operation Moshtarak there was a mission every single day either at Camp Bastion or Kandahar Airfield the crew supported.

The AE mission supports the wounded military member. The crews who work on the aircraft provide medical support to the patients while being flown to more stable medical care facilities, said Tech. Sgt. Chauncey Scruggs, 451st AEOT aeromedical evacuation technician,.

"We maintain the equipment the crews use to aid patients while in flight," he said.

The five-person crews are comprised of two nurses and three medical technicians who provide the much needed care to the patients.

"Typically, we will get notified that there are stabilized patients who need to be transported from the hospital and taken to another medical facility for advanced care. We contact the standby crew and they begin to prepare for the mission.

"At that point, the technicians check to make sure the crew equipment is ready. It is taken out to the aircraft along with the patients, then the patients are transported to the aircraft. Once the patient is on board the aircraft, nurses and technicians take care of them until they reach the destination," Major Williamson said.

In case of patients with very serious injuries, sometimes a Critical Care Air Transport team is required to continue treatment of the patient until the destination is reached.
This three-person team, a doctor, respiratory technician and critical care nurse, monitor and keep the patient stabilized during flight.

"Sometimes our crews from Camp Bastion or Kandahar would follow along with a patient all the way to Germany depending upon the level of care the patient required. That happened several times during this operation. That put those teams out of pocket for a day or two, but we had the capacity because we had plus'd up our AE and CCAT capability prior to the operation," Colonel Shaw said.