Dobbins reservists airlift wounded warrior Published March 31, 2009 By Tech. Sgt. Craig Lifton 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq -- Recently five Airmen begin their day here with a briefing. They meet inside a small building on the edge of the flightline. Wearing their tan flight suits, weapons are issued and checklists brought out. These Airmen from the 332nd Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron's Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Flight are not preparing for a standard combat mission; they ready themselves to go in harm's way for their fellow servicemembers in support of an aeromedical evacuation mission. They move out to a C-130 Hercules with two trucks loaded with medical equipment -- from bandages to stretchers. Working in unison, they configure the inside of the aircraft's cargo area into something that resembles an ambulance. The aircrew, members of the 777th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, boards the aircraft and shortly thereafter, the plane's engines roar to life. "Our mission is to take care of the wounded warriors," said Maj. David Rodberg, an Air Force Reservist flight nurse deployed here from Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Ga. "We provide in flight medical care to make sure they get to a higher echelon of care. "You never know when you go into a forward-operating base what kind of patients you're going to get," said Rodberg, a native of Atlanta. "We always plan for the worst." The first stop is Kirkuk Regional Air Base, Iraq, where a lone Soldier, Pfc. Charles Howard, a 1st Cavalry Division military policeman, walks onto the plane. Howard sits down near the front of the plane; Tech. Sgt. Daniel Wood, an aeromedical technician, gives him a safety briefing and checks his pulse. The C-130's engines never shut down and soon the back ramp closes and the plane takes off again. "I take care of all the ambulatory patients, the ones that can walk on their own," said Wood, also a Reservist from Dobbins ARB. "I also take care of their baggage. "This is a great mission," said the native of Kennesaw, Ga. "It makes me feel good to go out there and bring servicemembers back to better medical care." Rain welcomes the landing at Mosul, Iraq; here a soldier and an American civilian are carried aboard on stretchers, which are locked into position. Another servicemember is able to walk on the C-130. The team works on the new passengers. One has acute appendicitis and needs special equipment. "The 777th EAS likes getting these AE missions," said Capt. Andrew Keil, the navigator on this mission, deployed from Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. "It's one of the most important missions. "We have a good relation with the AE, us and our loadmasters," he added, a native of San Luis Obispo, Calif. The plane takes off again. Rodberg and his team work through the flight in the confines of the shaking aircraft due to turbulence from the leading edge of rough weather. Through rain and even a sandstorm the same rusty color of Mars, they care for the sick and injured. When dust from the storm begins to come into the cargo area, they move to give those in their care face masks. The C-130 makes several landings throughout the day, picking up Airmen, Soldiers, Marines and a Sailor. They all have one thing in common: they need a higher level of medical attention than what they can receive at their location. At JBB, the Air Force Theater Hospital boasts a 98 percent survivability rate. During the mission, the team is supported by 777th EAS loadmasters, who are there to help the AE crew when needed, to include marshaling ambulances near the aircraft to bring the wounded closer to the C-130's ramp. "I love this mission," said Airman 1st Class Brian Krause, a loadmaster deployed from Little Rock AFB. "This is one that really means something. "I feel like I'm part of helping these servicemembers," said the Dallas native. During the flight, one patient has a new medical condition arise and needs to have medicine introduced intravenously. Normally, this would be a simple task for the AE crew, but the plane is dark inside by now. With flashlights, the team prepares the IV and with well-seasoned training, inserts the needle, soon after, the patient feels better. "The people really know what they are doing," said Army Staff Sgt. John Hunt. Hunt, a Washington Army National Guardsman communications specialist with the 2-146 Field Artillery, broke his leg and was being transported for further care. "The care I am getting from them is excellent," he said. After several stops, and hours later, the C-130 lands back at JBB. A small army of medical personnel from the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility and volunteers are waiting with stretchers and buses. Through an orchestrated and rehearsed process, the wounded warriors are removed from the aircraft and put on the buses and driven off to the AFTH. "I love this mission," said Rodberg. "It's about these guys and getting them to more definitive care and back to their loved ones."
