Medical units maintain preparedness through training

After the clock struck midnight on New Year’s day, many began to put their new resolutions into motion. For medical professionals stationed at Ramstein, their resolution was to start the year with training to maintain job proficiency.

Specialized teams from the 86th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron came together for a first-ever training exercise in a C-17 Globemaster III on the Ramstein flightline.

“We haven’t had the chance before to all work together in this capacity and train for a real-world scenario,” said Capt. Ashley Truswell, 86 AES flight nurse. “We wanted to start the year with an opportunity to prepare ourselves for future missions.”

The training exercise gave personnel from the different units time to work on cohesion.

“This training is amazing for us because we get to work on interoperability, relationships, and communication,” Truswell said. “New folks in the units also have a chance to work with the different organizations, which they may not have had the chance to do so before.”

By the three units participating together in a large training exercise, each organization could learn how the other two operate and adjust methods to provide a quicker and more seamless transfer of patients for real-world events.

One of the most important aspects of the training was the interaction between Airmen due to the scope of their jobs.

“We aren’t flyers; we are strictly operational, so we are always accompanied by aeromedical personnel” said Maj. Matthew Bracken, 86th Medical Squadron critical care air transportation team nurse. “The (critical care air transportation team) is made up of specialized physicians, to include an anesthesiologist and respiratory therapist. Fortunately, our workload has decreased in the last five to 10 years, and these trainings allow us to stay prepared for missions now.”

After the exercise closed out as a success, unit leaders concluded that the exercise will continue as a quarterly training event to provide medical Airmen another opportunity to hone skills and interoperability with other units.