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Volunteers save lives hundreds of miles from front lines

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Christian Michael
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  The explosion took the Airman at the knee, knocking the patrol to the ground. Patrol members rushed to him, treating him for shock and taking out his individual first aid kit to render aid - various gauzes for covering the wound, two tourniquets to cut off blood flow, and a few smaller items that could make all the difference between death and life.

In Southwest Asia, the 379th Expeditionary Medical Group is one of two locations capable of certifying IFAKs, and does so without diminishing its daily medical mission. They made it a regular volunteer opportunity for members stationed here to offer those deploying to forward operating bases a better chance at surviving what the enemy hurls their way.

"I have held five IFAK recertification missions," said Senior Airman Alexia Briant, medical materiel journeyman, "completing around 6,000 IFAKS that are distributed to military members here and who are forward deployed in the AOR."

Those missions include an average of 30 volunteers from across the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing who spend approximately four hours each month at the 379th EMDG medical logistics warehouse making sure the IFAKs stored here and shipped forward are still within safety regulations. IFAKs must be recertified when they have become unserviceable due to damaged or expired modules containing medical supplies. Volunteers dissemble and reassemble individual kits with fresh items, but do so under the supervision of medical personnel.

Because the IFAKs are medical items, the medical supply section owns them and must oversee the recertification process. However, with the volume needed every month, the group depends on volunteers to generate the volume needed at forward operating bases.

"Patient care never stops so we cannot pull that many medics at any given time," Briant said. "That is the reason why we need to reach out to the base for volunteers."

During the most recent mission on April 19, 33 volunteers from all over the wing recertified an above-average 1,500 IFAKS.

"This is the most important volunteer event," said Master Sgt. Matthew Rigsby, Explosive Ordnance Disposal NCOIC of training. "It saves your life."

Briant agreed.

"These kits are used in combat operations constantly," Briant said. "It's not a matter of if one of my kits is going to be used to save a life, it is a matter of when and how many. I know my program saves lives. I know I and my IFAK volunteers make a difference. I'm proud of that."