Eleven members of the 130th Airlift Wing’s CBRNE Enhanced Response Force Package (CERF-P) pushed their operational limits during the Armed Forces Advanced Trauma Training (AFATT) hosted by the Global Training Institute (GTI) from Aug. 18–21.
The 130th AW CERF-P personnel embedded into a class of 92 students from across the United States. While predominantly consisting of National Guard members, the joint training environment at Marine Corps Base Hawaii also integrated active-duty Navy and Marine Corps personnel. The rigorous program ensures medical personnel are equipped with the most advanced, life-saving tactical medical skills required to respond to complex trauma scenarios.
“Pilots fly real helicopters, snipers shoot real guns — why shouldn’t the medic work on actual tissue instead of a mannequin?” said a spokesman for the Global Training Institute. “We provide that stopgap by recreating actual war injuries using training cadavers for intubations and chest tubes. When you practice on plastic, you don’t get the same response or tactile feedback. It’s the exact same tactical combat casualty care training, but everything is real tissue.”
During the trauma training, Airmen faced severe simulated injuries in high-stress, austere environments. Training in an unfamiliar location like Hawaii challenged the personnel to adapt quickly to new logistical and environmental variables, mimicking the realities of deploying to an emergency zone.
“I’ve learned a lot of interventions outside my standard scope, like chest tubes, cricothyroidotomies, and suturing,” said Airman 1st Class Aaliyah Durigan, a respiratory therapist with the 130th AW CERF-P. “Being able to ask questions one-on-one with experienced instructors while getting repeated reps helps you learn under pressure. GTI keeps me ‘Ready to Go’ in case I ever need to deploy or step into a high-stakes emergency.”
Maintaining this elite medical and extraction capability is critical, as these specific 130th AW members are frequently relied upon for national security missions. The CERF-P is regularly called upon to provide safety, security, and medical response during National Special Security Events in the National Capital Region, including presidential inaugurations, State of the Union addresses, America’s 250th Celebration, and major public events.
“Back home in West Virginia, we get comfortable with our routine, which can sometimes lead to complacency,” said Staff Sgt. Tavia Dunham, a medical technician with the 130th AW CERF-P. “Training in a new environment with diverse personnel challenges us to think outside the box. Working on fresh-frozen cadavers with blood flow is as realistic as it gets before going into the field. It gives our team — especially the newer Airmen — the confidence and hands-on experience needed to execute when stakes are high.”
By prioritizing elite medical training, the 130th AW ensures its CERF-P remains a highly trusted, flexible, and immediately deployable asset, ready to protect lives during complex domestic emergencies and mass casualty events.
| Date Taken: |
08.26.2026 |
| Date Posted: |
08.26.2026 09:32 |
| Story ID: |
573234 |
| Location: |
CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: |
26 |
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This work, 130th AW CERF-P Members Hone Elite Medical Skills at AFATT in Hawaii, by SSgt Alancea Grant, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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