Photo By Staff Sgt. Manuel Zamora | A Kentucky Air National Guard C-130J Super Hercules assigned to the 165th Airlift...... read more read more
Subscribe
Airmen assigned to the 18th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan, joined forces with the 3rd Marine Division and the 165th Airlift Squadron from the Kentucky Air National Guard to conduct a simulated mass casualty training event, allowing participants to practice medical evacuation procedures across multiple Indo-Pacific locations, July 22, 2025.
The training, held aboard a KANG C-130J Super Hercules, was designed to push aeromedical evacuation teams beyond controlled mission environments and into a simulated contingency setting with minimal command and control support. According to Tech. Sgt. Courtney Smith, 18 AES flight instructor, this level of realism during training is vital for real-world readiness.
“The purpose of today’s training is to assess our AE team’s ability to triage, treat, and transport a large number of patients after a mass casualty event,” Smith said. “Unlike routine missions where patients are stable and we have a lot of home station support, this training forces us to adapt under pressure with limited resources.”
The day’s training consisted of three escalating scenarios. In the first, crews executed a standard AE mission. The second scenario shifted mid-flight, retasking the team to respond to a simulated mass casualty event involving 57 patients. In the final iteration, a second AE crew took over to provide prolonged trauma care during a long-haul flight.
“Our crew had no idea what they were walking into,” Smith said. “In a real-world event, crews could be retasked in the air to handle a mass casualty situation. We wanted them to feel the pressure of treating dozens of patients in the heat, while wearing full protective gear, and still make sound decisions.”
The event incorporated live role players instead of mannequins. Participants worked with actual supply limitations and coordinated with command and control elements located in Hawaii, rather than simulating those communications.
“Joint training enhances effectiveness across services by exposing teams to each other’s protocols, communication styles, and operational constraints,” said Maj. Jeannine Kibert, 18 AES Aircrew Tactics Chief and on if the training event planners.. “It helps build mutual trust and strengthens mission execution across the board.”
The event supports Pacific Air Forces’ broader objective of regional readiness by training forces under realistic conditions in the Indo-Pacific. Practicing in-theater allows AE teams to experience operational challenges such as extreme weather, long flight durations, and limited resupply options.
“We’re helping our Airmen get mentally and physically prepared for high-stress situations and giving them the tools to think creatively and use the aircraft’s full capabilities,” said Smith.
Throughout the weeklong training, crews applied tactical combat casualty care principles and practiced trauma response in high-pressure scenarios.
Success, according to Smith, is defined by growth.
“If these crews walk away with a stronger sense of confidence and an understanding of why this training matters, that’s a win,” said Smith. “We also gain valuable data to improve our future training plans.”
| Date Taken: | 07.22.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.22.2025 00:28 |
| Story ID: | 546216 |
| Location: | JP |
| Web Views: | 136 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, AE teams train for high-stress mass casualty response during local training, by SSgt Manuel Zamora, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
