Iraqi medics complete aeromedical evacuation course

U.S. Air Force Maj. Bonnie Bosler, a flight nurse instructor from the 332nd Expeditionary Aero-medical Evacuation Flight, helps shows an Iraqi air force medic how to secure a litter for transport in a C130 Hercules aircraft at New Al-Muthana Air Base, Iraq on Dec. 3. Iraqi airmen attended a 12 day aero-medical evacuation basics course that covered reconfiguring a cargo aircraft into a medical patient aircraft, creating a load plan of patients and coordinating with ground support to load patients. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Paul Villanueva II)

Iraqi medics complete aeromedical evacuation course

U.S. Air Force Maj. Bryan Hutcheson, aero-medical evacuation basics course director, shows how to inspect the different parts used to secure litters in a C130 Hercules aircraft at New Al-Muthana Air Base, Iraq on Dec. 3. Hutcheson, a Kansas City, Mo. native, is deployed from the USAF School of Aerospace Medicine in San Antonio, Texas. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Paul Villanueva II)

Iraqi medics complete aeromedical evacuation course

Iraqi air force medics prepare to load a mock patient into a C130 Hercules aircraft for a demonstration for Iraqi senior leadership during their graduation ceremony at New Al-Muthana Air Base, Iraq on Dec. 4, 2008. The Iraqi airmen completed a 12 day aero-medical evacuation basics course that covered reconfiguring a cargo aircraft into a medical patient aircraft, creating a load plan of patients and coordinating with ground support to load patients. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Paul Villanueva II)

Iraqi medics complete aeromedical evacuation course

U.S. Airmen from the USAF School of Aerospace Medicine and the 332nd Expeditionary Aero-medical Evacuation Flight pose for a photograph at New Al-Muthana Air Base, Iraq on Dec. 4. The Airmen taught an aero-medical evacuation basics course to Iraqi air force medics that covered reconfiguring a cargo aircraft into a medical patient aircraft, creating a load plan of patients and coordinating with ground support to load patients. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Paul Villanueva II)

Iraqi medics complete aeromedical evacuation course

Published Jan. 7, 2009
By Senior Master Sgt. Trish Freeland
United States Air Forces Central-Baghdad

NEW AL MUTHANA AIR BASE, Iraq -- Instructors from the United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, San Antonio, Texas, graduated 14 Iraqi air force medics from an Aeromedical Evacuation Basics Course here Dec. 4. The graduation ceremony was the culmination of 12 days of training that ended with a patient movement exercise requiring the students to prepare a C-130 for in-flight patient care.

"We had them do everything from reconfiguring the inside of the C-130 and setting up all its internal components for movement to creating a load plan that tells how and where to put patients onboard," said U.S. Air Force Maj. Bryan Hutcheson, course director for AE basics.

The course included instruction on the physiology of being in an aircraft, the laws of physics, and the effects of various altitudes on the human body. The information presented provided text book methods and proven techniques for conducting AE missions to compliment the experience some Iraqi Airmen already had.

"Our medics have done many aeromedical evacuation missions especially from Basra and Mosul, but now we learn scientifically how to do this mission," said an Iraqi student.

"Although they have had a few patient moves, they've been sporadic because the equipment and training hasn't all been there," said Major Hutcheson. "It's been highly dependent on a lot of factors, including maintenance support."

The clinical capability of the Iraqi air force medical corps was already established. The doctors, nurses and medics came to the course with sound medical training and experience. The course provided the missing link of trained medics who can expertly and safely move patients in and around Iraq.

"What we've been able to teach them is all the information that they need to go out to an aircraft, prepare that aircraft to do an aeromedical evacuation flight and they have a little bit of maintenance, electrical and configuration skills, similar to a load master," said Major Hutcheson.

"When you combine that with their clinical competencies it makes them a very powerful weapon," he said.

USAF. (U.S. Air Force Graphic by Rosario "Charo" Gutierrez)