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375th ASF provides medical care for wounded warriors

  • Published
  • By Bekah Clark
  • 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  "Prepare to unrack."
"Ready."
"Unrack."
"Prepare to move."
"Ready."
"Move."

Members of the 375th Aeromedical Staging Flight repeated these commands nearly 20 times during the weekend while moving littered patients off of C-17 Globemaster IIIs and into buses that would take them to the ASF at the Scott clinic.

The flight received their largest influx of patients since February, accepting 49 wounded warriors over the course of two missions.

While Joint Base Andrews, Md., is generally the primary transfer point for these patients, Scott stepped up to the plate this weekend to support Andrews since they could not take in anymore aircraft because of their airshow.

The ASF staff assembled at 5 p.m. on May 14 for the first flight which was supposed to arrive Friday evening. But after several delays that evening, a flight cancellation and several delays on Saturday, the mission finally touched down at 8:27 p.m. Saturday carrying 33 patients, 10 of who were on litters and 23 ambulatory.

The second flight arrived with 16 patients, including nine littered and seven ambulatory patients at 11 p.m. Sunday.

Accepting patients into the ASF, especially in this number, relies on volunteers.

"Most everyone helping to get these patients off aircraft, back to the ASF and into a room is volunteering their time," said Staff Sgt. Thomas "Hump" Humphreys, a 375th Medical Group medical technician, and shift leader for last weekend's missions.

Medical volunteers for the missions are generally medical technicians like Sergeant Humphreys.

Before each mission arrives, the staff gathers in a small conference room to review the incoming patients, what level of observation they'll need, and which patient each nurse and medical technician will be assigned to oversee for that night.

They also review safety procedures for the mission. The safety overview includes basic safety rules for anyone around aircraft including removing loose objects and jewelry, to more mission-specific reminders like proper litter carrying techniques.

Once patients arrive at the ASF, they receive normal medical care, to include any necessary wound dressing changes, and a vital signs check, he said.

Since Scott is normally just a stopping point on a servicemember's trip to his or her home station, each patient is also examined by a flight surgeon to make sure they're good to fly again to their final destination.

Scott's ASF usually accepts patients who are stationed in the Midwest, anywhere from Texas to Colorado. But since Andrew's ASF wasn't able to take patients this weekend, Scott received some East Coast patients as well.

In addition to the medical care they receive, there are also many activities for the patients to take part in during their stay at the ASF including pool, air hockey, and movies on a big screen TV in a living room-like area. Volunteers from around the base also come in to check on the patients, lend an ear if they need to talk or just see if they need anything.

"We try to make it as much like home as possible," said Sergeant Humphreys. Each patient room has a theme and accommodations that try to make it look and feel comfortable.

Hours for the ASF staff are far from standard; missions often arrive on weekends, are sometimes delayed until late hours and even cancelled. And though these unforeseen delays occasionally mean the staff waits for hours for a mission or are sent home only to reassemble and prepare again the next day, the ASF is rarely short on volunteers. The importance of their mission is worth the scheduling inconveniences, he said.

"This is one of the most rewarding jobs I've had since I've been in the military," he said. "Helping our wounded troops who are coming home, giving them a hot meal--probably one of the first they've had in months--and just being a friendly face, and making them feel at home is rewarding. Their appreciation makes it all worth it."

Scott's ASF takes care of ambulatory to moderately injured patients and rarely receives critical care patients since they are not equipped to handle that level of injury. However, if Scott does receive a critically wounded servicemember, the patient is immediately transported downtown for care.

The ASF transfers more than 1,500 patients a year and houses about 350 of those patients overnight.