AES, Marines train as one force

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Rey Ramon
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  A five-man crew from the 18th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron recently acted as a "lifeline" for wounded Marines during Ryukyu Warrior II, a mass casualty evacuation exercise conducted Sept. 12-18 by 1st Marine Aircraft Wing with the assistance of Air Force, Army, and Navy organizations.

According to Lt. Raul Cardenal, Marine Aircraft Wing medical plans and operations officer, this is the first time that a combat theater evacuation plan for a mass casualty scenario has been executed in this area since 1989. This year's exercise was also the first to see Air Force participation.

"We were asked by the Marines to participate in their evaluation of their mass casualty evacuation process," said Capt. Tiffany Reich, a flight nurse and the 18th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron's readiness, plans and operations officer.

In the scenario involving the 18th AES, a group of injured Marines, attended by Navy corpsman, were transported on Marine CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters from Ie Shima to Lester Hospital, where they were triaged and treated for a variety of injuries, from simple lacerations to broken bones and sucking chest wounds.

"I train all the EMT's (Emergency Medical Technician) to make sure they know what to do in the event of a mass casualty here," said Hospital Corpsman Second Class Kelly Telavera, a U.S. Navy corpsman and EMT leader. It was HM2 Telavera's responsibility to ensure that her team was well prepared for this scenario, which she said "is as close as it can get to the real thing."

Once stabilized at the hospital, the casualties were turned over to medical personnel from the 18th AES and evacuated from the combat theater by Marine C-130J's.

"This portion of the scenario is pretty unique because instead of using an Air Force airframe and aircrew," said Lt. Cardenal, "we are using an AF medical team on board a Marine Corps aircraft."

Lieutenant Cardenal noted that this poses new and different training challenges and opportunities for the AES team to configure a Marine aircraft, adding that such training enhances everyone's ability to operate in a joint environment.

"For AES, the opportunity to fly in a C-130J allows us to exercise our contingency operations and add value to our training," said Capt. Reich. "Also, engine-running on- loads like those we did here are great training for those time-sensitive situations when minimal ground time is needed."

Through Ryukyu Warrior II, the Marine Aircraft Wing sought to improve the working relationships between itself and the Navy, Army, and Air Force. Lt. Cardenal said he believes this sort of training opportunity brings us one step closer to a "total force."