Photo By Spc. Karin Leach | The Company C, 3/238th Aviation (Medevac) out of Concord, N.H. takes off from Al Kut,...... read more read more
Maps, radios and computer monitors grace the normal work area of Sgt. Steve Couture helping him gain the proper Black Hawk Medevac mission information.
Couture, a flight operations non-commissioned officer, is in charge of getting the proper information for each mission.
"The crews come in and we check out equipment to them," said Couture of Hooksett, N.H. "We also get the basic information for the missions being called in. We'll get the first five lines of the nine-line: location, frequency, precedence, special equipment needed and number of patients."
Couture is deployed with the Company C, 3/238th Aviation (Medevac) unit out of Concord, N.H. The unit is stationed between Tallil, Al Kut, and Contingency Operating Base Garry Owen in Iraq. The group functions as an air ambulance unit, responding to medical evacuation calls needing a helicopter to get patients to a medical facility quickly.
The Medevac team is stationed on three different areas of Iraq, and is a joint unit combining Soldiers from the Michigan National Guard and the New Hampshire National Guard.
Couture has already served once in Iraq and can see the positive changes.
"The fact we don't have missions all the time shows the progress the country has made," said Couture. "They are becoming more stabilized and the violence has gone down so the need for us to be out there is less. We have a support role for those guys going outside the wire. We are here for anyone putting themselves in danger, even the Iraqis."
Capt. Jay Richards, team leader, Bow, N.H, thoroughly enjoys working with Couture and believes him to be a great asset to the team.
"Sgt. Couture is one of the most mature and professional Soldiers we have," said Richards. "We rely very heavily on him and he is very dependable. I like to think of him as my mini first sergeant."
With four kids back at home, Couture, misses his family, but is happy to be helping.
"This mission's great, I'm here to get people help," said Couture. "It's good when you can sit back and know that you did your job and helped. I'm thankful when there's nothing to do though; it means nobody is getting hurt. I do miss my family though. I can't wait to have my Dunkin Donuts date with my wife, wrestle with the kids and go driving with my oldest daughter; I'm really looking forward to seeing my family."
| Date Taken: | 01.30.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 01.30.2010 19:00 |
| Story ID: | 44661 |
| Location: | AL KUT, IQ |
| Web Views: | 482 |
| Downloads: | 424 |
This work, Leading the way: Sergeant acts as personal azimuth for aviation unit, by SPC Karin Leach, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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