Army medics 'dust off' joint air evacuation operations

Courtesy Photo | Capt. Jim Hardin, 6-52 Air and Missile Defense Battalion physician assistant, speaks with Republic of Korea Air Force medics during a plans meeting for joint medical evacuation training Oct. 27, 2014 at Seosan Air Base. The medevac training had more than 60 U.S. and ROK participants.  

PYEONGTAEK, 41, SOUTH KOREA

10.31.2014

Story by Staff Sgt. Heather Denby 

35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade

SEOSAN AIR BASE, South Korea - Nearly 60 Republic of Korea airmen and U.S. Army medics conducted joint air casualty evacuation training on the Seosan flight line here, Tuesday.

The training event was hosted by the Republic of Korea 20th Fighter Wing with participants from 6th Battalion, 52nd Air and Missile Defense Regiment.

"This training location is pretty remote from any U.S. military treatment facility so in the event someone was critically injured they would rely on the [Republic of Korea] clinic here for initial patient stabilization and a crew of [U.S. Army] air MedEvac responders," said Capt. Jim Hardin, a physician assistant with 6th Battalion, 52nd Air and Missile Defense Regiment.

The casualty evacuation training was facilitated by the Army's only medical evacuation company permanently stationed on the peninsula.

Soldiers of Charlie Company, 3-2 General Support Aviation Battalion, assisted in the transportation of simulated patients utilizing their UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and the expertise of 6th Battalion, 52nd Air and Missile Defense Regiment Soldiers, to hone joint air medical evacuation operations, also known as "dust-off" training.

"I couldn't believe I was getting the opportunity to conduct this training," said Pvt. Christopher Gray, a healthcare specialist assigned to 6th Battalion, 52nd Air and Missile Defense Regiment. "Dust-off operations happen all the time in a combat environment, and I know that by being proficient in this task, I can help others and carry on a family tradition."

Gray's grandfather served as an Army medic during World War II, participating in the Battle of the Bulge, and was later assigned to a unit in Korea.

American service members were not the only ones benefiting from this training.

Korean airmen traditionally conduct medical evacuations using an ambulance; however, at Seosan, several lucky airmen were afforded the opportunity to experience medical evacuations from a different perspective.

"This was my first time in a helicopter," said Republic of Korea Staff Sgt. Kanghee Lee. "I could see land and then sky and I thought these are both beautiful, worth protecting."

Lee said the successful joint training was a testament to the strength of the Republic of Korea/U.S. Alliance.

"I look forward to many more events such as these," he said.

• Date Taken: 10.31.2014
• Date Posted: 11.16.2014 22:47
• Story ID: 147992
• Location: PYEONGTAEK, 41, KR