Deployed McChord Airman helps develop Balad Wounded Warriors Program

Published Oct. 26, 2009
By Senior Airman Andria J. Allmond
332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq -- "Don't count the days; make every day count," is the credo Brig. Gen. Craig Franklin, the installation commander, recommends military members adopt during their tour here. One Airman who accepted this challenge, a native of Salina, Kan., helped develop a program to aid wounded warriors.

As his deployment comes to a close, Senior Airman Raymond Jones, 332nd Expeditionary Communications Squadron plans and programming project manager, can reflect on his accomplishments -- both on and off duty - during his nine-plus months at Joint Base Balad. Landing at JBB on Dec. 31, he began volunteering almost immediately.

"Not long after I got here, I ran into an Airman I had done a lot of volunteering with during my time at tech school for Simone's Hurricane Relief in Biloxi, Mississippi," said Airman Jones, who's deployed from Air Mobility Command's McChord Air Force Base, Wash. "We heard about the medevac mission at Balad. So, in the early part of January, we started volunteering."

He said after a few months, the two Airmen had participated in more than 60 medical evacuation missions and loaded approximately 2,000 patients onto helicopters.

"We knew the ins and outs and began training other people on how to do the job," he said. "We had grown so close to the medevac family that when they asked us to help teach new volunteers, we were more than happy to do it."

Airman Jones then volunteered again -- this time extending his 130-day tour into 309 days.

"When I told my family about my decision, well, it was a lot for them to handle," said the Airman, who is married, and also has eight brothers and sisters. "But, serving my country was the reason I enlisted in the first place. Also, I had grown attached -- putting in my heart and soul -- to my mission and volunteer work."

But instead of spending the next few months working in the communications squadron and volunteering with the medevac mission, he found himself on other side of the operation -- as a wounded warrior.

"In May, I received an injury where I dislocated my knee, requiring me to be evacuated to Germany," he said. "It was a confusing time for me, but I knew still had months on my tour that I wanted to finish.

"I told myself that if I was given the chance to redeploy, there were two objectives I wanted to meet. First, my goal was a dedication to the mission and completing the task for which I was deployed. The second goal was to start a wounded warriors program at JBB."

Airman Jones was allowed to return to the fight. Ultimately, he succeeded in both of his objectives.

He officially began the Balad Wounded Warrior Program, or BWWP, on Oct. 3. The program serves as an addition to multiple, pre-existing donation programs created to ease the medical transition of wounded servicemembers through the medevac system.

"With the program here, it allows any individual...to have a centralized donation point on base to bring items," he said. "Anyone on base can drop off donations and know that they will be going to help our wounded warriors from here to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center."

The founding of the BWWP met one of his two goals. His other aspiration was met through the quality of work he displays daily -- a dedication to his official mission.

His supervisor, Capt. Amanda Scoughton, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Communications Officer, said her Airman brings a thirst for knowledge and the drive to fully understand every aspect and intricate detail for communications installation.

"My day-to-day job here entails coordinating the communications installations for any project on Joint Base Balad," Airman Jones said. "We work with third-country nationals, host nations and local national personnel, along with any personnel from any group -- Army, Navy, Air Force or Marines. We ensure the customer gets the communications requirements they need, in an expeditious manner."

Although having to conduct work a little differently since his injury, he maintained his commitment to the mission.

"Upon my return to JBB, my mind wasn't altered, but the execution of my goals was facing obstacles due to my injury," said Airman Jones. "I realized I could (overcome) this by utilizing and implementing more planning and preparatory work for completion of my new role."

One example of his recharged dedication yielded a rare and admirable result. During a bed-down of more than 600 reconnaissance attack battalion Soldiers, Airman Jones helped create a communications network and provided strategic communications oversight. For efforts the Army unit considered exceptional, he was presented the Army Commendation Medal.

"It's always great to see when supervisors recognize their folks, but the fact that another service took the time to recognize Senior Airman Jones with a medal is truly amazing," said Captain Scoughton.

As his time in-theater winds down, Airman Jones already has a new list of aspirations for when he gets back home.

"As far as this deployment, both goals were met; my mission here is complete," said Airman Jones. "My new goals for when I return home are completing my bachelor's degree and application for joining the (Joint Communications Support Element). Eventually, I'd like to commission. My wife is also gaining her bachelor's degree, and I'll continue to support her while we start our family of junior Joneses."