Photo By Tech. Sgt. Micaiah Anthony | Scott Armstrong, American Red Cross Asia Pacific Division director, briefs Airmen from...... read more read more
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The vital partnership between the 18th Wing and the American Red Cross took center stage as Rebecca Streifler, American Red Cross vice president, and Scott Armstrong, American Red Cross Asia Pacific Division director, visited Kadena Air Base on March 14.
The visit highlighted the impact of Operation Refueling Comfort, a unique program that provides support for aeromedical evacuation patients and their families.
Medical emergencies can arise with little warning, leaving families with limited time to prepare for a potentially life-saving flight. ORC, a program spearheaded by key support liaisons of the 909th Air Refueling Squadron, bridges this gap by providing comfort items to help families traverse through difficult times.
“Our main mission is to provide comfort items for family members and active-duty personnel within the [Pacific Air Forces],” said Brooke Epp 909th ARS key support liaison. “We just want to relieve any unnecessary stress and make their flight as comfortable as possible.”
Streifler and Armstrong met with Red Cross Volunteers as well as Airmen and spouses from the 909th Air Refueling Squadron and 18th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron to witness how the four separate entities work together to ensure patients receive care during medical evacuations.
Airmen from the 909th ARS briefed the leaders on their role in the medevac process, emphasizing the importance of aerial transport; afterward, they provided a tour of a KC-135 Stratotanker, allowing them to see the aircraft up close.
While aboard the multi-million-dollar flying ambulance, Airmen from the 18th AES showed Streifler and Armstong how aeromedical professionals care for patients in flight.
Steifler emphasized the emotional toll a medevac can take on families.
“When you are evacuating somebody, that's somebody's child, that's somebody's mother… It’s a very stressful time,” said Streifler. “Thinking about things such as breast pumps, food or blankets really makes a difficult time a little bit less stressful.”
Epp explained how the program originally focused on neonatal intensive care unit babies and their mothers, providing specialized items like onesies, bonding items, blankets, and sensory toys for comfort.
"We wanted to make sure that mothers were able to collect breast milk and store it properly while they're in the plane," Epp added.
Now, ORC's commitment extends to all patients, offering snacks, blankets, toiletries, and other essential comfort items for the whole family. The spouses from the 909th ARS manage the program by gathering donations and organizing them into quick go-bags for aircrews to take before they depart for the aircraft.
"If we can keep the patients calm and comfortable it just makes it a little bit easier [for the aircrew]," Epp shared. “I'm just grateful for this team and how much they've done.”
Kadena’s Red Cross professionals and volunteers help supply ORC with some of the needed items.
"We utilize the power of our volunteers and the power of our donors to try to fill some of those needs,” Streifler added. “We've had a really good partnership where we're able to provide things such as blankets and supplies. This is a great example of how these kinds of services can make a difference.”
The visit served as a reminder of the impact achieved when organizations unite to serve those who serve our nation. Through ORC, the 18th Wing, the American Red Cross, and dedicated volunteers demonstrate the true meaning of compassion and support during challenging times.
| Date Taken: | 03.13.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.18.2025 20:03 |
| Story ID: | 493074 |
| Location: | KADENA AIR BASE, JP |
| Web Views: | 60 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Operation Refueling Comfort: A heartfelt partnership helping families through adversity, by TSgt Micaiah Anthony, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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