Photo By Cpl. Ryan Young | A UH-60 'Black Hawk' is loaded onto a C-17 at Al Asad, April 4. Four Black Hawks and...... read more read more
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AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq — A detachment of soldiers with C Company, 2nd Battalion, 211th Aviation Regiment Air Ambulance, also known as the Dust Offs, departed Al Asad for Afghanistan, April 4, to support Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.
Nineteen soldiers and four UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopters made up the forward support medical team that will spend the remainder of its combat deployment in Afghanistan in an effort to cut down the response time for medical evacuation teams assisting causalities.
According to Army Maj. James Shirk, the commanding officer of the Dust Offs, the current response time for air medical assistance in Afghanistan is nearly double what it is currently in Iraq. The addition of more air ambulance crews will mean less area for each group to cover, thus cutting down the response time.
"The best way to cut the time down is to get more aircraft over there to cover more area," explained Shirk.
While the company is used to separating into multiple detachments within one area of operation, this movement to another battle theater mid-deployment is a first for the soldiers. In addition, the detachment was established and deployed within days of the actual order for them to go. This quick deployment of their forward support medical team showed the company's capability to deploy quickly if called upon, said Shirk.
"An expeditionary movement isn't something that is asked of the National Guard too often," said Army 1st Lt. Nathan Burr, a UH-60 'Black Hawk' pilot with the forward support medical team. "We had some prior prep time as the rumors of us going came in, but once the order came down, we were ready to go."
The effort in Afghanistan is a different setting for the soldiers who make up the team. Preparing the Blackhawks for flight at higher altitudes and ensuring the training needed was completed was vital in getting the soldiers ready.
"We prepared the aircraft be knocking out as much maintenance issues as we could," said Army Sgt. Eric Fibikar, a UH-60 Black Hawk crew chief with the forward support medical team. "The more we take care of here, the less we have to initially be concerned with once we arrive in Afghanistan."
The team also conducted "hoist training" in preparation for the operations in Afghanistan. The training will allow the team to pick up casualties without landing the aircraft. The soldiers will still be able to accomplish their mission using the hoist when the terrain is not suitable for landing or the area is too dangerous, said Fibikar.
The soldiers have also been preparing mentally for a more kinetic battlefield and are expecting an increase in tempo.
"There are more battle-related injuries there right now and we have been getting ourselves into the mindset to ensure we are at our best potential to help," explained Burr. "Not many soldiers can say they supported OIF and OEF in one deployment. It is going to be a great feeling doing this."
The forward support medical team is slated to stay in Afghanistan until the end of their deployment, and will be heading home alongside their company brothers and sisters when the main body finishes their tour in Iraq.
"This is a very unique deployment for these soldiers and we are looking forward to hearing good things about their efforts out there," said Shirk.
For more information on the ongoing mission in Iraq's Al Anbar province, visit www.iimefpublic.usmc.mil/iimeffwd.
| Date Taken: | 04.13.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 04.13.2009 20:37 |
| Story ID: | 32350 |
| Location: | AL ASAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 656 |
| Downloads: | 566 |
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