An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Volunteer Airmen recertify IFAKs

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Hannah Landeros
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar --  When troops on the ground need immediate medical care, they reach for their Individual First Aid Kit to locate items to help save lives and aid the injured. The 379th Expeditionary Medical Support Squadron medical logistics warehouse is responsible for maintaining the IFAKs which are standard issue for all service members who deploy no matter their job.

There are nearly 9,600 IFAKs that must be certified each year on Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, and the medical logistics Airmen have certified 2,575 in the last four months but it takes some help to get the job done. More than 50 Airmen volunteered three hours each to re-certify 1,171 IFAKs, Mar. 14, 2014.

"We are very fortunate to have so many Airmen volunteer to help recertify the IFAKs," said Staff Sgt. James Cooper the 379th EMDSS medical logistics warehouse NCO in charge, deployed from Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., and an Emerson, Ark., native.

Some items inside the IFAK include two tourniquets, a minor treatment kit, a trauma module and combat gauze. All items that expire within a year, with the exception of the tourniquets, must be replaced before the IFAK can be re-certified. Every IFAK must go through the 379th EMDSS medical logistics before it can be issued to deploying service members.

"There are only three of us in the warehouse which is a challenge when we need to re-certify so many IFAKs," said Staff Sgt. Benjamin Taylor, 379th EMDSS medical logistics technician, deployed from Nellis AFB, Nev., and a Menno, S.D., native. "We appreciate all the volunteers who help the medical logistics warehouse each month."

The IFAK is the first line of medical assistance until the service member can reach further medical care.

"It is our job to ensure that everyone going down range has quality and reliable equipment," said Cooper. "When people lives are on the line, I am reminded of the importance of 'attention to detail' that I learned early in my career."

According to Taylor, once the expiration date has passed, the quality of the products begins to lose their effectiveness. This could mean life or death for a service member.

Volunteers contribute to saving lives by donating a few hours of their time to help those downrange, explained Cooper.

"These IFAKs are going directly to individuals downrange that have made huge sacrifices for our country," said 1st Lt. Mark Venturino, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing plans and programs exercise chief, deployed from Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, and a Geneseo, N.Y., native. "Taking a couple hours out of my day to support their effort is humbling, and this is the least that I can do to help."