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Airborne ambulances evac wounded warriors

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Carolyn Viss
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  Miles high, aircraft of all kinds hover 24/7, flying missions in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Persian Gulf, and the Horn of Africa.

Some are fighters. Some are bombers. Some are cargo aircraft. And some carry medics who are trained to provide aeromedical evacuation for patients in harm's way.

The 379th Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron in Southwest Asia is a unit trained especially for that purpose. The medics and nurses fly on cargo and tanker aircraft at any altitude, pick up sick and injured patients, and take them to safety while providing them with top-quality medical attention.

"We provide peace of mind to the area of operations, knowing that the movement of the injured can occur quickly using the best of care," said Col. Peter Mercier, 379th EAES commander. "This allows the best chance of recovery from injuries sustained in combat and in daily operations as well as any health emergency that may arise."

The team of 34 is a combination of Air National Guard members from Tennessee, Minnesota and Mississippi, as well as active duty Airmen from five other bases, said Capt. Julia Wiley, the director of operations. The mixture is quite complimentary.

"The active-duty component manages our crews so expertly that their processes are a benchmark, said the Guard member from Jackson, Miss. "They bring the day-to-day operational knowledge of aeromedical evacuation. Their ability to assess an uncommon occurrence and provide a resolution at rapid speed, [combined with] their willingness to share their knowledge and experience, is an invaluable skill set. Our Guard personnel work in the civilian world as healthcare professionals and provide another level of experience that cannot be matched."

As trauma professionals, critical care professionals, ICU professionals, and cardiac professionals, "their skills run the gamut, and they are greatly needed in the AOR," she said.

One of the flight nurses, Capt. Lisa Causey, also deployed from the Jackson, Miss., ANG AE unit, said one of the biggest differences between being a nurse on the ground and a nurse in the aeromedical evacuation squadron is the possibility of being in a danger zone.

"Patient care is patient care," the mother of three said, "but not knowing when you leave if you're going to be shot at or not ... is more stressful."

Flying with critically injured passengers who are sometimes barely stable also takes its toll on the medical crews, who have to be ready for almost anything, said Tech. Sgt. Christopher Palmer, an active-duty member of the squadron deployed here from Scott.

"You're basically working in a $30 million ambulance every day," the seasoned veteran said. He has flown missions in seven cargo and tanker aircraft, deployed seven times, and even been in a reverse role as a litter patient on board a cargo plane when he blew out a disc in his back in 2005 and had to be brought back home. "The most challenging part is being able to separate and shield yourself from the emotions that surround the more critical injuries and illnesses. If you dwell on it for too long, you can picture yourself in their place - and that can make it hard to continue."

In spite of some of the difficulties of being airborne medics, one thing that makes the overall mission easier is the recapitalization of the Air Force cargo fleet, Sergeant Palmer said. The recent addition of the C-130 J model aircraft to the air base here has added advanced capabilities to the already accomplished squadron.

"Sometimes, you walk into one of the new J models and it has that 'new car' smell," said Sergeant Palmer, who used to teach at the AE schoolhouse and has seen almost every situation anyone could think of. "There obviously aren't as many maintenance issues on new aircraft; the rollers can be flipped over instead of stacked and strapped; and we can hold more patients because of its wider configuration."

As a whole, the unit's unique mission is something they handle with "pride and grace," according to their commander, who has been in the career field for 25 years.

"We have extremely brave Airman, ready to do whatever it takes to ensure our wounded are taken care of," Colonel Mercier said. "My crews have the potential to go into some tough areas. It takes a special person to do the job they do every day. [They] stand trained and ready to do whatever it takes to give our wounded the best chance possible for recovery. They see the impact of war on a daily basis. They look into hundreds of wounded people's eyes and tell them, 'We are here for you. Let us help to get you home!' The Airman of today are on top of their game, and I am proud to have the opportunity to work with them."