Courtesy Photo | Senior Airman Richard Reid, who is assigned to the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group...... read more read more
Multi-National Corps - Iraq Public Affairs
CASF
BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq -- It's 10:30 p.m., and the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility at Balad Air Base, Iraq, is a flurry of activity.
The doctors, nurses and technicians are making their rounds while other members of the support staff are checking in new arrivals, processing movement paperwork, palletizing bags and making sure the ambulance-type buses are equipped with necessary medical supplies.
"It may look like chaos, but it's controlled chaos," said Master Sgt. Jeremy Rennahan, noncommissioned officer-in-charge of CASF operations.
A medical holding and staging facility for aeromedical evacuation, the CASF staff takes over where the doctors, nurses, technicians and medics at the Air Force Theater Hospital at Balad AB leave off.
While the hospital is primarily responsible for stabilizing patients, the CASF provides extended care and prepares patients for transportation to a hospital in Germany where they receive long-term treatment.
This evening, the CASF team has less than three hours to get more than 30 troops, Department of Defense employees and contract civilians medically and administratively ready for back-to-back aeromedical evacuation flights.
"The patients are already stable by the time they get here, so my primary job is to nurture them because they are in a lot of pain, and they don't have the people they need most here -- their families," said Airman 1st Class Jangmi Vance, CASF medical technician. "Some of it's mental, and most of it's physical, but I am here for whatever they need, even if that's just listening."
For Vance and the rest of her coworkers, their job is about more than just having good bedside manner.
Some of the patients step outside on the patio for an occasional cigarette, and often right behind them trails Vance and one or more of her comrades.
"I don't even smoke, but I will go out to the patio and sit and talk with them," said Vance, who is deployed from the 89th Medical Surgical Squadron at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. "I enjoy getting to know them and listening to their stories, and I know they appreciate the company."
The efforts of Vance and the rest of the staff don't go unnoticed.
Sergeant 1st Class Raul Betancourt is all smiles although an improvised explosive device left him with a broken leg and foot, shattered elbow, and multiple burns and shrapnel wounds.
"The people here are awesome," said Betancourt, who is assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 69th Armored Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga. "I've been in 17 years, and I have never seen people take care of Soldiers like this before. They really go above and beyond to make you comfortable and get you what you need."
The 65 doctors, nurses, technicians and support staff are not alone in their endeavors to provide a level of care beyond ordinary.
Cards, letters and homemade projects from patriots all over the world line the hallways, and a storage closet is filled to the hilt with an abundance of care package items like toiletries, clothes and phone cards sent to "An Injured Soldier."
"Most of the stuff that they send is really useful to patients, and some of it's unique," said Vance. "I remember one person sent a bunch of laundry bags, and my first thought was, "What are we going to use these for?" But then I realized, the patients usually have their clothes and other personal items, and all we have are these plastic bags that aren't very sturdy or big, so I give them the laundry bags to put their stuff in."
Aside from helping the CASF team foster a relaxed, caring atmosphere, more than 300 volunteers on station also do their part to alleviate some of the physical strains, like lifting and transporting ambulatory patients who are primarily carried in and out by stretcher.
"They help out tremendously," said Rennahan, who is deployed from the 81st Medical Operations Squadron at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. "If it were not for the volunteers, I believe our staff would have had some injured backs by now. We have been here 90 days and have not had one injury due to the lifting of patients."
Having the extra muscle on hand proves to be even more essential once the notification rings down that the planes are ready to be boarded.
There's no time to waste, and the volunteers don't hesitate to spring into action. Within a matter of 30 minutes, all the patients are loaded, and the buses are headed to the flightline.
The CSAF staff and volunteers each have just enough time to catch their breath before they start boarding the patients. Averaging about a minute per patient, the last patient is strapped in and the aircraft is ready for take off almost 45 minutes later.
As the aircraft door closes, the faint sound of clapping and cheering can be heard.
"Thanks for being my hero," the volunteers and medical personnel shout to the patients.
Their mission is complete until tomorrow -- a different set of patients, but to them, another group of heroes.
| Date Taken: | 08.10.2005 |
| Date Posted: | 08.10.2005 18:25 |
| Story ID: | 2709 |
| Location: | BALAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 360 |
| Downloads: | 39 |
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