CA August 2007 for CD.pmd - 440th Airlift Wing

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FeatureAir Force Reservist Capt. Grady “G-Man” Dieckert, 95 th Airlift Squadron pilot, briefs Maj. Joni Clemens and Capt. Kathy Martin prior to flying anaeromedical training mission on July 19. Major Clemens served as the 43 rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron medical crew director on one of theflights. Captain Martin is the 43 rd AES element chief for aircrew training. The July 19 flight was one of the first operational missions for the 440 th AirliftWing to fly from its new location at Pope Air Force Base, N.C. The Reserve unit moved to North Carolina from Wisconsin in June.ThinkingSmart 95th Airlift Squadron partnerswith active duty aeromedicalsquadron for ‘win-win’ trainingStories and photos byLt. Col. Ann Peru KnabeAs the “patient” struggled to breathe, themedical technicians and flight nurses from the43 rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron gave theirbest efforts to save his life. He had suffered bilateralburns on the eyes, and was being flown on aC-130. But his condition worsened. Soon he wasstruggling to breathe, and the aeromedical teamstarted suctioning his mouth. Then his pulsePage 6 The Combat Airlifter August 2007oximeter reading fell from 87 percent to 70 percent,and the aeromeds intubated him since hecould no longer breathe on his own. The excitingpart of this story is not that “the patient” survived(it was a simulated exercise, after all), butthe fact that it was a 440th Airlift Wing Reserveaircrew flying active duty aeromeds.“The training partnership is a perfect match,”said Lt.Col. Stephen Chafe, 440 th Airlift WingDet. 2 operations officer, calling it a “win-win”situation. “The active duty aeromedical unit fromPope needs training flights that last a couplehours in the air, and the 95 th Airlift Squadronneeds to keep its traditional reserve aircrew membersqualified.”Colonel Chafe explained the 95 th AirliftSquadron, now based at Pope Air Force Base,N.C., still has more than 50 traditional reservistswho live in Wisconsin and need to maintaincurrency. Back at Pope AFB, the 43 rd AES needed
FeatureAir Force Reservist Master Sgt. Randall Labodda, a loadmaster with the 95 th Airlift Squadron, confers with Maj. Joni Clemens, 43 rd AeromedicalEvacuation Squadron medical crew director, during a training flight on July 19. The flight was one of the first operational missions for the 440 th AirliftWing to fly from its new location at Pope Air Force Base, N.C.to train their aeromeds on real-world flights.“We were in a meeting at Pope last May, anda couple of us were talking with the aeromeds,when suddenly the light went on – why couldn’twe provide flights for aeromed training to Milwaukee?“The flight to Milwaukee is a little over twohours, and we the 95 th and 43 rd (AES) would bothbenefit. The real nut to crack was how to connectthe two missions.”It didn’t take long to figure it out. The firstaeromedical training from Pope to Milwaukee,and back to Pope, took place July 19. Both unitsfelt this opportunity was an excellent use of resources.“It was an example of wonderful integrationbetween the ‘front-end’ and AES,” saidCapt. Kathy Martin, referring to the collaborationbetween the 95 th aircrew and 43 rd aeromeds.“The 95 th did everything they could do to help ushave an exceptional training experience.”As the 43 rd AES element chief for aircrew training,Captain Martin looks forward to continuingthe weekly training flights with the 440 th .“We had ample opportunity to practice allour scenarios,” she explained. During the twoflights the aeromeds simulated treating patientswith chemical burns, crush injuries, fracturedbones and breathing obstructions.The 95 th aircrew supported the exercise directlyresponding to simulate emergencies. Warninglights lit up during the flight telling the crewabout simulated rapid decompression and a fire.“The beauty of this training stateside is thatit reflects what is really going on in the war theater,”said Tech. Sgt. Stephanie Durham, whoserved as the mission clinical coordinator.“The majority of time I’ve flown in the AOR,it’s been with Reserve and Guard crews. So itmakes perfect sense – we need to train how wefight,” said Sergeant Durham.Maj. Derek Poellet, 95 th AS aircraft commanderfor the July 19 training mission, agreed.“It’s all about the active duty and Reserveworking together,” he said. “Our new organizationalstructure shows active duty units underour operations group. So it’s exciting to see usworking together so quickly.”In the next year, the 440 th Operations Groupwill gain a new Reserve squadron when the 440 thAeromedical Squadron is activated. In addition,the 440 th Operations Group will gain operationaldirection over the 43 rd AES (and 2 nd Airlift Squadron)when the much anticipated active associationis implemented.The Combat Airlifter August 2007 Page 7
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CA August 2007 for CD.pmd - 440th Airlift Wing

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