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JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska – U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 673d Medical Group partnered with the Alaska Air National Guard’s 176th Wing to conduct a tactical casualty evacuation exercise at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, July 15, 2026. The training focused on litter transport procedures and patient movement to an HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopter, reinforcing joint interoperability and medical readiness.
Litter transport is the standard method for initial casualty evacuation from the point of injury to the medical aid and is generally done on foot. During the exercise, Airmen practiced carrying simulated casualties to transfer them to a pickup zone. Rescue personnel guided the participants through proper approach procedures, aircraft safety considerations and patient loading techniques, providing the medical personnel with hands-on experience in an operational environment.
The training emphasized the importance of maintaining medical readiness through realistic, recurring exercises. U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Sofia Rodriguez, 673d MDG surgical technician, said the unit regularly conducts tactical combat casualty care training to build confidence and prepare Airmen for real world scenarios.
"In the past we practiced TCCC outside in the field when it was snowing, where we carried litters through the forest as if we were under fire," Rodriguez said. "Practicing many situations and different outcomes allows the Airmen to maintain readiness throughout any emergency."
The exercise also strengthened coordination between medical personnel and rescue aircrews. U.S. Air Force Capt. Aaron Phillips,176th Wing instructor pilot and weapons officer, said incorporating the HH-60W into the training gave the medical personnel valuable experience loading and unloading patients while becoming familiar with the aircraft. He added that standardizing terminology, procedures and communication between units can improve efficiency during search and rescue operations across the Alaskan Region.
"We're building familiarity with the airframe and getting people used to operating on the pad while onloading and offloading patients," Phillips said. "It's going to minimize those timelines in an operational environment."
U.S. Air Force Maj. Joanna Kauhola, 673d MDG nurse practitioner, said the exercise helped the team prepare for unexpected contingencies by familiarizing hospital-based personnel with patient transport procedures pertaining to a helicopter. Kauhola noted that while surgical teams typically operate in a clinical environment, training alongside rescue aircrews provides valuable insight into aircraft operations and logistical coordination outside the hospital.
By integrating medical personnel with rescue aircrews in a realistic operational setting, the 673d MDG and the 176th Wing helped to strengthen their ability to respond as a unified team during future contingency operations. The exercise was designed to enhance regional mission readiness, reinforce joint partnerships and improve the combined capability to safely evacuate and care for patients in any environment.
| Date Taken: | 07.22.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 07.24.2026 17:38 |
| Story ID: | 570689 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 14 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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