Joint AES training mission highlights AF Reserve efficiency

by 1st Lt. Jeff Kelly
315th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

7/23/2013 - JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- When personnel are injured in Afghanistan, help is no farther away than a medic's tactical field care, a nine-line medevac request and a helicopter flight to a forward operating base. Depending on the severity of an injury, a wounded service member might be sent to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, or stateside for follow-on treatment. But getting these wounded warriors from a field hospital to a fixed facility halfway around the world can be a challenge.

This is where the Air Force's aeromedical evacuation squadrons step in.

The 315th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, part of the Air Force Reserve's 315th Airlift Wing based at Joint Base Charleston, and the 36th AES from Pope Army Airfield, N.C., recently held a three-day joint training exercise for its aeromedical technicians that took them to JB Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, and back to JB Charleston. The training exercise re-certified many of these Airmen to safely transport casualties out of the combat zone.

With flight hours curtailed these days because of budget short falls, this was a fantastic opportunity for both units to team together and get a large volume of training accomplished on one long C-17 mission ensuring that the Air Force got efficient use of the time the aircraft was in the air.

"This three-day mission accomplished an incredible amount for the Air Force in a very short time," said Capt. Cory Kemble, 701st Airlift Squadron pilot and aircraft commander for the mission. "Our aircrew members were able to log hours necessary to stay proficient, we hauled troops and cargo where the Air Force needed them and of course our aeromedical evacuation team members on board were able to train for extended periods of time while we were in the air. The benefits of a mission of this type for the Air Force are far reaching."

It is important for AES technicians to train while in flight in order to closely simulate the conditions they face when saving the lives of our wounded warriors at 30,000 feet in the air. The benefit of this particular joint training mission was evident when discussing it the Airman who participated.

"Missions like this with longer flight times allow us to get very detailed in our training," said Second Lieutenant Jason Foster, a flight nurse with the 315th AES. "Being able to focus on premixing our drugs, intensive drip rates and several realistic scenarios gives us the ability to train like we fight and there is no substitution for that."

Members of the 86th AES agreed with Foster's sentiment and the usefulness of this particular joint training mission was echoed by everyone who participated. The 86th AES normally flies on C-130 aircraft so the extended training time on a C-17 was unique and very beneficial.

"One of the many benefits of training with the 315th AES is being able to rainbow or blend the AES crew members," said Capt. Donna Olson, flight nurse with the 86th AES. "We often fly with techs or nurses while in deployed locations that we may not have met before. This mission has been another way of training for that real world scenario. It also gives us an opportunity to view how other units manage their programs and to be able to learn from their strengths. It gives us the opportunity to fly dissimilar aircraft as my primary airframe is the C-130. This has been very beneficial. The crew members from the 315th AES are extremely knowledgeable and they are eager to share their expertise and experiences with our crew."

The benefit of training with a blended AES crew from multiple units was gained by both squadrons involved.

"Although the concept of tactical versus strategic AE is out of vogue, there remains an underlying culture in the C-130 community of no nonsense, pragmatic, get-it-done attitude which is both valuable and refreshing," said Lt. Col. David Ball, 315 AES director of operations. "With flight hours at a premium it is especially important to get all the training possible. This mission serves both squadrons well. Squadron members from Pope get time on the C-17 which improves their readiness. As they transition to the C-130J we look forward to flying with them more often."