386th Air Expeditionary Wing CASF approaches 500 missions

Published Sept. 1, 2009
By Capt. Larry van der Oord
386th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- The Airmen of the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility here recently completed their 488th mission since the beginning of 2009, and they should hit number 500 within the next few weeks.

The CASF serves as a gateway for patients needing airlift to Landstuhl, Germany, or other well-equipped locations that can provide further medical treatment. The 386th AEW CASF is one of only two facilities of its kind in the U.S. Central Command area of operations.

This year alone, the CASF staff has already seen more than 1,600 patients from all different branches of the service with stay lengths averaging between 48 to 72 hours.

"We have a critical mission," said Lt. Col. Marybeth Lenz, chief nurse and CASF commander. "Our patients are not fit to fight when they come in, and our job is to get them to whatever resources they need so they can be."

The CASF performs two regularly scheduled weekly outbound missions that provide air evacuation for patients waiting on transport to Landstuhl. Inbound missions consist of unloading, admitting and caring for patients brought in via helicopter or airplane. Unlike the scheduled outbound missions, inbound missions may happen at any time.

"We get patients from all over," said Maj. Cindi Willis, CASF officer-in-charge, deployed from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. "We get them from Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait and even the Horn of Africa."

As of Aug. 31, the CASF is currently caring for 12 patients said Major Willis. Six of those individuals are litter patients who will be loaded into the aircraft on stretchers for the flight to Landstuhl.

With a constant focus on patient care, both Colonel Lenz and Major Willis were surprised to learn that the CASF team is nearing the 500-mission mark. Major Willis said it is satisfying to know that CASF Airmen are helping wounded troops get back home.

"The most rewarding part of the job is just knowing that we can provide a safe environment and give good care to our troops," she said. "You can see (the appreciation) in their faces."

Capt. Marsha Doldron-Bryan's work as the 386th Medical Control Center officer-in-charge involves being a hub of communication and coordination for the medical technicians and nurses that work at the CASF. She and a group of several other Airmen from the 386th Expeditionary Medical Group coordinate the movements for all the patients passing through.

"This facility does not provide long-term care. Once a patient comes here, we know we're going to be moving out pretty quickly," said Captain Doldron-Bryan, deployed from Shaw Air Force Base, SC.

Communication is always a challenge, especially when dealing with remote operating locations, so the MCC works hard to coordinate inbound missions to ensure the CASF is not "surprised" by patient arrivals.

"The quality of the people we have here is absolutely stellar," said Colonel Lenz. "The team truly has the mission at heart. Patient care comes first in every way."