Decontamination team mobilizes during ORE

Airman 1st Class Kiani Montecillo, 35th Medical Group, helps Airman 1st Class Cory Sumter, 35th Communications Squadron, process through the decontamination area at Misawa Air Base, Japan, Jan. 28, 2014. While performing a post attack reconnaissance sweep, Sumter was contaminated by a simulated chemical attack and had to report to the 35 MDG to be decontaminated. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Zachary Kee)

Life or death: triage gets prepared

Airmen from the 35th Medical Group look over a patient during an operational readiness exercise at Misawa Air Base, Japan, Jan. 28, 2014. Patients are admitted to the 35 MDG triage and are then separated into different categories based on types and severity of their injuries. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Zachary Kee)

Life or death: triage gets prepared

Airmen from the 35th Medical Group transport a patient on a litter during an operational readiness exercise at Misawa Air Base, Japan, Jan. 28, 2014. During Phase II of the ORE, members of the 35 MDG were tested on their ability to treat patients in a timely manner while operating out of a simulated combat environment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Zachary Kee)

Life or death: triage gets prepared

Maj. Steven Simpson, 35th Aerospace Medicine Squadron optometry flight commander, works with Airman 1st Class Aubrey George, 35th Medical Support Squadron outpatient records, to place a patient in their proper category during an operational readiness exercise at Misawa Air Base, Japan, Jan. 28, 2014. Patients are placed in different categories when they come in for care, which includes minor and major injuries, mental health issues and patients who have been contaminated. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Zachary Kee)

Life or death: triage gets prepared

Published Feb. 4, 2014
By Airman 1st Class Zachary Kee
35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- The 35th Medical Group triage team was tested on their ability provide care to high-priority patients during Phase II of an operational readiness exercise on Jan. 28, 2014.

The team is comprised of Airmen from different agencies within the MDG. During the OREs, they are presented with different scenarios to provide quick and effective care to their patients, just like they would in real-world situations.

"The Wing Inspection Team puts together some good scenarios," said Tech. Sgt. Kendrick Nicholas, 35th Medical Support Squadron medical readiness NCO in charge. "I'm a spur-of-the-moment kind of guy and I like running audibles. I like not knowing what is coming at me, and they definitely do a good job of that."

The scenarios can be realistic.

"Folks may come in with minor injuries, but the people who run the exercise throw something at us to make them deteriorate just like it might happen in real life," said Maj. Steven Simpson, 35th Aerospace Medicine Squadron optometry flight commander. "They can go from being perfectly okay to hanging on to life."

Practicing for a wartime mission in a peacetime environment is an opportunity many Airmen are taking advantage of with this ORE, and Airmen from the 35 MDG are no different.

"It is absolutely mandatory we do exercises," said Simpson. "You could have all the knowledge in your head about how you are supposed to perform, but until you get out and experience some of the weird random things, you won't really know what can happen."

Simpson said it is vital for them to do the job the best they can because someone's life really could hang in the balance later on down the road.

"A couple minutes here and a couple minutes there can be the difference between life and death," said Simpson. "That's why we have to do it the best we can here, so we are on our toes for when the real thing happens."

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