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U.S. House of Representatives puts ‘spotlight’ on AE personnel and aircrews

 

AE HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Troops wounded in Afghanistan and Iraq reach U.S. military hospitals out of theater in 30 hours on average.
  • The majority of patients are normally flown to Ramstein Air Base in Germany, and then to appropriate care facilities in the United States.
  • Wounded troops arrive at United States hospitals in an average of three days.
  • Today, troops wounded in Afghanistan and Iraq arrive at United States hospitals on average seven days faster than they did during Operation Desert Storm and more than 40 days faster than during the Vietnam conflict.
  • Yielding a survival rate of 98 percent for wounded service members by adopting a new strategy of rapid evacuation from the battlefield, Critical Care Air Transport Teams (CCATT) provide care that has resulted in the lowest mortality rate of any war in U.S. history.
  • Aeromedical evacuation is a Total Force effort that includes active duty, Reserve and Air National Guard personnel.  There are 18 Air Force Reserve squadrons, 10 National Guard squadrons, and four active duty squadrons.
  • The AE system is comprised of AE crews, aeromedical staging facilities, aeromedical liaison teams, support and communications personnel, and command and control teams.
  • The Air Force has up to 500 aeromedical evacuation, aeromedical staging, aeromedical liaison, support, communications, and command and control personnel deployed to Afghanistan, to Iraq, in Europe, and in the United States, as part of the team providing care and helping ensure that wounded Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines get safely home to their families.

Great news for our command, our Air Force, and the entire U.S. military medical evacuation system … this week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed House Resolution 1605, which recognizes U.S. Air Force aeromedical evacuation personnel and aircrews for their efforts in delivering our wounded troops from the frontlines.

The measure was unanimously adopted by members of the House, who recognized medical personnel and aircrews for helping our wounded warriors “make the expeditious and safe trip home” to the United States, and commended Airmen for their “commitment to the well-being of all our service men and women.”

The Resolution – which was introduced by Congressman Mike Thompson – also highlights the superb efforts of our partners in the Army, Navy and Marine Corps, describing the Air Force’s AE mission as part of “an integrated combat casualty care system” that includes front-line medics and Corpsmen from our sister services, as well Army, Navy and Marine Corps air ambulance and ground ambulance crews.

“These men and women put their lives on the line on a regular basis to protect their fellow Americans,” Congressman Thompson said in a Sept. 29 press release. “When it comes to getting wounded military personnel off the battlefield, the Air Force crews do not hesitate to go into dangerous situations to evacuate our troops.”

HR 1605 also mentions the 98 percent survival rate for wounded service members, the highest survival rate of any war in U.S. history.  Congressman Thompson said this wouldn’t be the case without the brave Airmen who carry out our aeromedical evacuation flights.

This recognition is a tremendous honor for this command and our U.S. military medical evacuation system, and if you take the time to read the entire Resolution, it’s clear why our AE personnel were recognized.

 – AMC Public Affairs

Posted in Mobility Airmen.

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By AMC Public Affairs – October 4, 2010

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