JTF-SB crew executes dramatic 160-foot hoist rescue in Arizona mountains

AJO, Arizona — Service members assigned to Joint Task Force–Southern Border (JTF-SB) conducted an aeromedical evacuation after receiving a request to assist a civilian supporting border barrier construction who experienced a medical emergency in a remote mountainous area of southern Arizona on June 17, 2026.

This aeromedical evacuation, known as a MEDEVAC in military terms, highlights the unique military capabilities that JTF-SB brings in support of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) as a part of Operation Ardent Vanguard.

JTF-SB received the MEDEVAC request about 1:30 p.m. when officials reported a civilian contractor required urgent medical assistance in mountainous terrain inaccessible to conventional emergency response vehicles.

Upon receiving the request, JTF-SB service members coordinated with CBP personnel and approved the launch of a Department of War medical evacuation aircraft. Initial reports indicated first responders were hiking to the patient's location while working to determine an exact position in the mountainous terrain.

“JTF-SB responded to this mission preserving the life of the civilian upon request of the CBP,” said Master Sgt. Andrew VanMeter, the JTF-SB chief medical noncommissioned officer.

“Civilian aeromedical and ground teams were unable to respond due to the remote location of the patient,” VanMeter said. “CBP and Parks Emergency Medical Team were able to assess the patient, providing critical information to DOW assets. JTF-SB was uniquely qualified for this mission due to the remote location of the patient and lack of landing zones.”

The medical evacuation aircraft arrived on station and established visual contact with personnel on the ground before conducting hoist operations. Aircrews successfully recovered the patient from the mountainside and began transport toward definitive medical care.

During the flight, adverse weather conditions in the Tucson area required adjustments to the patient transfer plan. The aircraft landed at an alternate location, where the patient was transferred to civilian emergency medical services for continued transportation to a local hospital.

Sgt. 1st Class Christian Castillo, a flight medic with Foxtrot Company, 3-501st Assault Helicopter Battalion, Combat Aviation Brigade involved in the mission, said hoist rescues require a significantly different approach than traditional medical evacuation operations.

“Unlike a standard MEDEVAC call where we can land the aircraft and I can access all my gear, a hoist requires inserting with minimal equipment,” Castillo said. “Because of that limitation, my mindset immediately shifts to executing the foundational knowledge of Tactical Combat Casualty Care.”

Castillo said successful hoist operations depend on extensive preparation before an emergency ever occurs.

“Executing a 160-foot hoist mission requires a layered approach to training well before the actual mission occurs,” he said. “It involves consistently practicing hoist operations during routine training flights and conducting integrated training with the ground forces.”

The team also conducts thorough analysis of the operational area beforehand so they can anticipate the environmental and tactical conditions they may encounter on scene.

The most unique aspect of this mission was the crew dynamic. For their junior pilot, this was his very first operational flight after finishing his training with the unit.

As for the personnel at the back of the aircraft, Spc. Kierstann Knowles, the crew chief, and Castillo had previously executed a hoist rescue together. That shared experience was critical; they said they both knew exactly what the other was doing.

The mission highlights JTF-SB's ability to rapidly integrate with federal, state and local partners to provide emergency response capabilities in severe environments. The successful evacuation demonstrated the task force's readiness, aviation capabilities and commitment to supporting partner agencies when specialized military resources are required to preserve life and enable mission success along the southern border.