Combat Comm Airman keeps vital info link online

Published Aug. 4, 2009
By Staff Sgt. Stacia Zachary
USAFCENT Combat Camera Team

KANDAHAR AIR FIELD, Afghanistan -- Communications have failed. Conventional methods to restore them are not available. In response, an Airman races through his tent and out the door to double check azimuth readings and rapidly shifts to backup communications.

This isn't a scenario that could happen.

It did.

As a combat communications radio operator assigned to the 451st Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Flight, Senior Airman Russell Dickey is charged with providing backup communications for the aeromedical mission. Aeromedical evacuation flights transfer seriously ill or wounded servicemembers and civilians from one echelon of medical care to another through the use of aerial transportation.

The initial communications systems of secure and non-secure computer networks, landlines and the (land mobile radio system) are set up and that's what the AE teams rely heavily on, said Airman Dickey, a native of Boyd, Texas. "We also make sure the AE crews have satellite phones so they have a way to stay in contact when they are out on missions."

Once connections have been established, the radio operators focus on ensuring communications are maintained and aeromedical evacuation liaison teams are able to track missions and prepare for transportation of the patients.

On one such occasion, the AELT from Camp Bastion was not able to contact the team here because Internet connectivity was lost. The Bastion team had a Marine with a traumatic triple amputation that required immediate evacuation to a higher level of medical care at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, once he was stabilized.

Once notice of the mission was relayed, Airman Dickey responded by setting up a satellite communication system and using its signal to secure Internet connectivity. Time was of the essence and pertinent details were available on the other secure networks.

"I was sitting at my desk when Airman Dickey went racing past," said Lt. Col. Sandra Duiker, 451st EAEF commander. "Next thing I know he's getting azimuth readings and setting up equipment so that we could talk with our people in Bastion. He showed real initiative because he knew what to do and just did it."

A satellite communication instructor at his home station, the 375th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron at Scott AFB, Ill., Airman Dickey's appreciation grew for the communication system after having a chance to use it in a deployed environment.

"I train people back home but I can honestly say I never knew how valuable some of our communication systems are until now," he said. "As a radio operator, my job is to make sure that we always have (communications)."

As a result of getting the communication set up, the AE team was able to execute a rapid aeromedical evacuation of a severely wounded servicemember - aiding in the long chain of people and events that got him home alive.

"You never really think about how doing your job and knowing how to make things work when they go wrong will affect something else," Airman Dickey said. "To me, it's all about getting the job done so that someone else can do their job. If I can do that and someone benefits, then it's been a pretty good day."