Reservist joins airborne medical skills lab, scores points with undersecretary of the Air Force

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Ken Salgat
  • 920th Rescue Wing Public Affairs
PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  During the 920th Rescue Wing's October drill training weekend here, Capt. J. Stephen Grant, a critical care air transport team registered nurse with the 920th Aeromedical Staging Squadron here, shared his recent experience highlighting battlefield medical needs to the undersecretary of the Air Force.

An experience he won't soon forget, Captain Grant was the sole Air Force Reserve Command representative on the mission which allowed, Ms. Erin C. Conaton, to see, first-hand the capabilities of the Air Force's CCAT in action, which is how service members wounded on the battle field get immediate life-saving medical care.

The in-flight medical evacuation mission originated Aug. 19, 2010, from the 437th Air Wing, Joint Base Charleston, S.C., to and above, the nation's Capitol.

With more than 19 years of military service, Captain Grant increased the experience level and helped demonstrated joint training among the active duty and Reserve forces. Additionally, he said, they demonstrated the need for additional funding for alternative equipment to better-utilize the specialty of their unit.

CCAT's are responsible for the medical management of patients they transport, depending on the nature of their injuries, from overseas bases supporting contingency operations, to long-term care facilities.

A CCAT's equipment weighs 750 pounds and allows them to take care of as many as three ventilator-dependant patients and six unstable.

"We transport patients that are critically injured, that are most often ventilated and unstable," said Captain Grant. "The thing about the undersecretary is that she seemed genuinely interested in our needs. After our initial briefing, she turned to me and said, 'OK, what is it that your really need?' To me, that was refreshing."

An Air Force crew flew the C-17 Globemaster III Tactical Transport Aircraft from Charleston to Langley, Va., to pick up the undersecretary. From there, they flew the simulated medical evacuation mission above the skies of the nation's capitol to Scott air Force Base, Ill.... a three-hour view that seemed to give Ms. Conaton a fresh perspective on the needs of the Air Force and its units.

"We talked about everything ... and she really seemed to want to know. She's an educated woman, and I think her interests are in the betterment of the Air Force and its members."

"I think one of the things that has been highlighted particularly in the nine years we've been at war is that this is a total force enterprise with active, Guard and Reserve working so closely together," Ms. Conaton said. "...The way that we work our crews for a variety of airlift platforms that we have highlight the fact that we can't do this without a total force approach," said Ms. Conan during an Air Mobility Command Public Affairs Interview during her mission.

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(Information for this article was contributed by Master Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol, Air Mobility Command Public Affairs)