35 MDG: Last stop for survival

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Derek VanHorn
  • 35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan --  In the midst of constant simulated chemical and missile attacks, nearly 50 patients have been rushed to the hospital here this week. Some escaped with lacerations and treatable viruses, others left without limbs and eyesight, and an unfortunate few breathed their final breaths.

For all the bad that occurs during war, there's always a silver lining of good to be found. Each life saved is one more person who can return to their family for a long-awaited reunion. Medical personnel from the 35th Medical Group made this happen by putting their healthcare skills on display during an Operational Readiness Exercise from Oct. 7-11.

Following an attack - and there were dozens - personnel make immediate sweeps around their facilities to assess damage, check for chemical contaminations and look for the injured or missing. After providing self-aid and buddy care, teams transport patients to the hospital as fast and safely as possible.

Upon arriving at the hospital, triage technicians initiate a rapid assessment of the patient's status and medical needs, said Lt. Col. Vickie Skupski, 35 MDG primary care flight commander. Each patient then receives a card that classifies their urgency before being sent to be treated by the Patient Care Team.

The classification levels which determine the treatment priorities are divided into four categories: minimal, delayed, immediate or expectant. Skupski said while immediate patients receive the highest priority, the med techs genuinely care for every patient who passes through the building, regardless of their severity or condition.

"We really care about our people," she said. "We're professionals and patient care is our priority."

Master Sgt. Charlene Blount, 35 MDG, said medical personnel have a conditioned mindset on always treating patients with the best care possible. She said while some patients are in shock and severe pain and more difficult to treat, the technicians' natural reaction is always the same.

"It's muscle memory -- you do what you need to do to keep them alive," said Blount, a medical technician. "I treat every patient as if they were a member of my family."

Members of the Wing Inspection Team insert injects throughout the exercise that vary the severity of the patients' injuries. Skupski said some of the injuries treated included shrapnel protrusions through the eyes and body, suckling chest wounds and even heart attacks.

"These types of injuries are very possible in a combat environment with a number or added stresses and strains," Skupski said.

Along with differing injury levels, the WIT also constantly changes mission orientation protective posture levels that require different amounts of gear to be worn by Airmen. The highest level is MOPP 4, which requires full protection - including a gas mask and gloves - be worn at all times. This creates one of the most difficult and ethically-challenging dilemmas faced throughout the entire exercise.

"When we are in MOPP 4, we can't do anything but observe," said Maj. Tami Laco, 35 MDG. "If we take off our protective equipment, we die. If we take off a patient's equipment, they die. It's a very helpless feeling knowing you can save someone's life if you weren't in MOPP 4."

Skupski said the profession comes first, but that there's also a human aspect in the career field.

"As caregivers, others come first," Skupski said. "We have to learn to compartmentalize and de-stress after our job is done. We have an excellent team here and rely immensely on one another."