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Civic leaders learn about the AE Mission: Help from Above

  • Published
  • By Col. Gary Goldstone
  • 375th Air Mobility Wing Commander
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  Last Tuesday, I had the distinct pleasure and honor of hosting, along with the 932nd Airlift Wing commander, Col. William Edwards, a community outreach tour for 20 civic leaders from the greater St. Louis metropolitan area to Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.
As Total Force Integration partners, the two wings showcased the exceptional capability of the C-40 aircraft and its mixed crew of active-duty Airmen and Air Force Reservists while highlighting the 375th AMW's aeromedical evacuation mission.

A civic outreach tour is designed to educate influential community leaders who may not know much about the military or what we do at Scott. These tours are a way to share not only our mission, but also broaden our community leader's understanding of how we contribute to our local communities, the Air Force and to the Department of Defense.

We were especially proud to showcase our DV support airlift capabilities and the AE mission specifically because it touches the lives of our nation's wounded warriors. The men and women who perform the AE missions are affectionately known as "Angels in the Air" and quickly earn the trust and hearts of their patients.

Lackland AFB was chosen so we could visit Wilford Hall Medical Center, the Fisher House, and the Center for the Intrepid. While there, we also received a mission briefing from the 433rd Airlift Wing (Reserve), toured a static display of a C-5 and a witnessed an aeromedical evacuation demonstration aboard a mighty C-130.

Operated by the 59th Medical Wing, the Air Force's largest medical wing, Wilford Hall Medical Center is a Level 1 trauma center. A Level I trauma center provides the highest level of surgical care to trauma patients and has a full range of specialists and equipment available 24-hours. Additionally, a Level I center has a program of research, is a leader in trauma education and injury prevention, and is a referral resource for communities in nearby regions.

The briefing at Wilford Hall outlined the process for transporting servicemembers from the point of injury on the battlefield to definitive stateside medical care. This care facility is recognized as the best in the nation for several specialty areas. From prosthetics to internal medicine to psychology to vascular surgery, Wilford Hall leads the way with quality care for our veterans. In fact, they're one of the leaders in the world, conducting research that is very relevant to combat casualty care in Iraq and Afghanistan.

While servicemembers are being treated at Wilford Hall, their family members can stay at Lackland's Fisher House. Fisher Houses provide free short-term lodging, including private bedrooms and shared kitchen, laundry and living areas. The houses are often likened to Ronald McDonald Houses, which serve families of children being treated for serious illnesses.

These homes are located on the grounds of major military and Veterans Affairs medical centers.

A new Fisher House for the St. Louis area will soon be completed. It will be a 21-bedroom home for families of patients served by the St. Louis VA Medical Center. The tour of the Fisher House at Lackland gave the civic leaders insight into what the Fisher House in St. Louis, located at Jefferson Barracks, will look like.

Next our group visited the Center for the Intrepid, which is a four-story 65,000 square foot physical rehabilitation facility for injured military members. The facility includes a gait lab where infrared light and cameras are used to track the position of reflective markers placed on a patient's body to calculate and analyze joint angles and specific body movement. The facility also has a firearms training simulator to help servicemembers re-qualify on a variety of weapon systems.

We should all be very proud of the many stories from our military men and women who've been able to lead quality lives after going through the outstanding rehabilitation program at the Center for the Intrepid.

My deepest appreciation goes to all the skilled doctors, nurses, administrative staffers, volunteers and community members who make these facilities the best in the world for our veterans. It was amazing to see these facilities first hand and to meet some of the people responsible for literally saving the lives of so many of our exceptional men and women.

As an Air Force officer, I can tell you that viewing the C-5 Galaxy aircraft up close is always an exciting sight. It's one of the largest aircraft in the world and the largest airlifter in the Air Force inventory--having the ability to carry 36 standard pallets and up to 81 troops simultaneously.

The flexible design of the C-130 Hercules enables it to be configured for many different missions, allowing for one aircraft to perform the role of many. The C-130 can be rapidly reconfigured for the various types of cargo such as palletized equipment, floor-loaded material, airdrop platforms, container delivery system bundles, vehicles and personnel or aeromedical evacuation, which is what we witnessed during our tour.

The response to the tour has been overwhelming appreciation for our veterans and a new found appreciation and understanding of our missions and roles at Scott Air Force. I trust that we've made several long time friends and partners. With their support, and the continued support of the Greater Scott Communities, we'll continue to provide unrivaled air mobility operations, superior support and services to our customers and outstanding combat-ready Airmen to our nation's leaders. A special thank you goes to all who participated and made the tour a total success, both here at Scott and at Lackland! Air Power!