Azerbaijan’s cooperation with military efforts helps save lives

by Staff Sgt. Amber R. Kelly-Herard
Air Mobility Command Public Affairs

8/2/2012 - SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill.  -- Air Mobility Command and the 618th Air and Space Operations Center briefed the ambassador of Azerbaijan here recently on how his country is making a big difference in saving the lives of aeromedical evacuation patients.

Over-flight clearance from the Azerbaijan government reduces Air Mobility Command aeromedical evacuation flights by nearly 1 hour and 45 minutes, saving lives, officials say.

"It can make a tremendous difference to patients that are already compromised due to injury or illness," said Col. Jennifer Kimmet, the chief of Aeromedical Evacuation Operations here.

"A shorter flight decreases the potential risk of complications from exposure to the stress flying puts on a patient," she said.

Since January of 2012, more than 150 aeromedical evacuation flights have flown over Azerbaijan, rushing more than 2,200 patients to a higher level of medical care.

United States' casualties have a 95 percent chance of survival once they enter the theater medical system. Air Mobility Command officials said the continued use of Azerbaijan airspace is contributes to the high survivability rate.

"Airspace clearance from Azerbaijan has been crucial to the success of Air Mobility Command's en route care system and saving lives," said Brig Gen Bart Iddins, Air Mobility Command Surgeon General.