Medical Group helps Gunfighters stay in fight

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Megan Lyon
  • 366th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office
MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho --  The entrance of a hospital tent flies open as four Airmen rush in, carrying an injured Airman on a litter. Smoothly transferring the wounded Gunfighter onto a stretcher, the medics swarm around him to assess his condition. He has sustained serious shrapnel wounds from an improvised explosive device to his chest and legs. Working feverishly, the medics stabilize him before his condition deteriorates.

Wartime scenarios such as this are commonplace for the men and women of the 366th Medical Group. These scenarios are being simulated throughout the Phase II portion of Exercise Coronet White 08-ACC-14, which will continue through March 18.

"Our primary mission during this exercise is to provide immediate stability of all injuries, return the individual to duty or transfer them to a higher level of care if necessary," said Lt. Col. Charles McDannald, 366th Medical Support Squadron deployed medical facility night-shift commander.

During the exercise, medical Airmen are faced with injuries similar to those seen in real world deployed locations.

"Commonly seen injuries include blast injuries from improvised explosive devices, penetrating wounds from ballistics and burn wounds from explosives," said Colonel McDannald.

Other missions of medical personnel during the exercise are preventative in nature. These include water testing to ensure quality drinking water for the base and risk assessment to prepare work areas by ensuring there are no unnecessary hazards involved in work processes or settings.

"Surprisingly, a large amount of the injuries we see in actual deployed locations are sports related," said Master Sgt. Steven Hamsen, 366th MDOS acting night-shift first sergeant. "Often, deployed Airmen adopt a 'work hard, play hard' attitude that leads to injuries."

"Our goal in the Air Force is medical care received in the deployed area of responsibility that is equal to or better than medical care at our stateside locations," said Colonel McDannald. "We want to heal our Airmen as fast as possible so the mission is not unduly affected."