Care during crisis: 628th MDG conducts Ready Eagle II exercise

Published Dec. 1, 2023
By Staff Sgt. Bailee A. Darbasie
628th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. --

The 628th Medical Group participated in a large-scale medical exercise Nov. 16, sharpening their skills in real-world crisis scenarios on base.

The Headquarters Air Force exercise, Ready Eagle II, is designed to rigorously test and assess the proficiency of home station medical response, or HSMR, teams in delivering critical, life-saving treatments during emergency situations.

“Exercises like this help us validate that all medical groups are trained in the same format,” said Danny Glover, 628th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron medical emergency manager. “Ready Eagle II ensured our team is prepared to respond and recover from any disaster while ensuring patients are treated, stabilized and transported to a higher echelon of care.”

Joint Base Charleston Airmen participate in a medical exercise where they act as patients with simulated wounds. Medical Group staff wear protective hear as they treat the simulated patients. — 231116-F-FM571-1176

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Britney Jones, 628th Medical Group executive officer, applies moulage makeup to simulated patients in preparation for the Ready Eagle II exercise at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, Nov. 16, 2023. Ready Eagle II is a Headquarters Air Force exercise, evaluation, and training program that tests the capabilities of home station medical response teams to provide emergency life-saving treatment during crises. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Bailee A. Darbasie)

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JB Charleston’s exercise scenario involved a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosives, or CBRNE, mass casualty incident on base, involving more than 30 simulated patients.The patients were dressed in moulage to add a sense of realism.

More than 100 Airmen and 10 agencies within the 628th MDG stepped into their HSMR roles when the exercise began, responding with the unit’s full scope of medical response capabilities.

Medical teams treated simulated patients at the incident site, transported them to decontamination, triaged and stabilized them at the 628th MDG, then finally transported them to off-base hospitals for further care.

“Ready Eagle II provided the opportunity to demonstrate our current response and mass casualty capabilities,” said Lt. Col. Syreeta Lawrence, 628th OMRS commander.

Ready Eagle II was a 3-day program that progressed from classroom instruction to a capstone mass casualty exercise. It builds on previous training from Ready Eagle I, which focused on gaps in capabilities and skill development.

“The training event was critical in enhancing the proficiency of our members for contingency and peacetime operations, while reinforcing readiness and team integration concepts,” Lawrence said. “We are beyond proud of our medics and, as one of the first Medical Groups to participate, their performance and execution was exceptional. They’re incredible!”