Photo By Airman 1st Class Sarah Ortega Corona | Two U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the 5th Forward Medical Support Platoon,...... read more read more
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U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY –The 386th Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron hosted a joint training with U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force personnel to exercise critical patient evacuation procedures, Nov. 19, 2024, within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.
The exercise brought together members of the 2-10 Assault Helicopter Battalion DUSTOFF team, the 379th EAES Critical Care Air Transport team, the 386th Expeditionary Medical Squadron and the 386th EAES, giving them the opportunity to work together to simulate transferring injured service members.
“This training is essential,” said a U.S. Air Force flight nurse assigned to the 386th EAES aeromedical evacuation liaison team. “We’re simulating the transfer of a critical care patient who has been picked up by the Army’s DUSTOFF team and needs to be entered into the aeromedical evacuation system to get to a higher level of care.”
The simulated mission began with the arrival of a HH-60 Black Hawk helicopter assigned to 2-10 Assault Helicopter Battalion. The helicopter transferred the simulated patient to the 386th EMDS. From there, the 386th EMDS team transported the patient by ambulance to a waiting C-130J Super Hercules aircraft. There, the aeromedical evacuation crew practiced receiving the patient and preparing for transport to advanced medical facilities.
The Army and Air Force teams successfully executed a seamless transfer of a critically injured patient from a helicopter to a fixed-wing aircraft, ensuring their joint readiness if called upon.
“We have the privilege and responsibility to work together for the benefit of critical patients, whether they’re our own service members, sister services, or Department of Defense personnel,” said an aerospace medical technician assigned to the 386th EMDS. “What we’re doing here sharpens our expertise, and seeing younger Airmen gain hands-on experience during an exercise like this is incredibly rewarding.”
The exercise not only honed the participants’ skills but also strengthened inter-service relationships.
“Having both sets of medical personnel work through patient handoffs during this training was incredibly valuable,” said a U.S. Army platoon leader assigned to the 5th Forward Medical Support Platoon. “It streamlines the process anytime an intratheater evacuation takes place, ensuring we’re ready when it matters most.”
By working through simulated emergencies and aeromedical scenarios together, Air Force and Army medical professionals developed a mutual understanding of each other's procedures and equipment. This hands-on experience is essential in ensuring that, when it matters most, both teams can operate as a cohesive unit.
| Date Taken: | 02.21.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 02.22.2025 05:33 |
| Story ID: | 491192 |
| Location: | (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION) |
| Web Views: | 52 |
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