Lakenheath medical squadron treats injured servicemembers

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Michael Hess
  • 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England (USAFENS) --  A quiet morning was shattered and lives changed with a single phone call to the base hospital emergency room at 8:20 a.m. Oct. 9. The Airman who picked up the phone listened attentively to the urgent message and reacted. The caller relayed the details -- it’s possible an aircraft carrying 32 Soldiers, Marines and Airmen from Balad, Iraq will land at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England. Thirty minutes later, it happened. Weather conditions made it impossible to land at Ramstein or Spangdahlem Air Bases, both in Germany, to rush the wounded to their final destination in Landstuhl Medical Center, Germany.

The 48th Medical Group’s mission was to provide the warbattered servicemembers with medical attention until the German bases opened to air traffic. “We had three technicians, a nurse and a doctor on staff,” said Staff Sgt. Freda Pruitt, 48th Medical Operations Squadron medical aerospace technician. “We got on the phone immediately and started to recall whoever we could and notify our chain of command.”

At 9:10 a.m., the three-day weekend staff made the emergency room into a makeshift mass casualty center, and transportation from RAF Mildenhall began. 48th MDG Airmen rushed to assist. Even off-duty Airmen on their way to the base exchange noticed assistance was needed and ran to help.

“We had two ambulances and an ambulance bus ready to go by 9 a.m.,” said Senior Airman Arnold Henry, 48th MDOS medical aerospace technician.

At 9:50 a.m., Airmen offloaded the patients from the C-17 Globemaster, performed triage and through coordination with the two bases’ security forces squadrons were allowed clear passage from the RAF Mildenhall flight line to the base hospital.

“It was like watching a MASH unit in full action,” said Brig. Gen. Robert P. Steel, 48th Fighter Wing commander.

“I have been here for three years and I’ve never seen anything like this,” said Sergeant Pruitt.

Most of the servicemembers were non-emergency, however, those who were in critical condition needed constant medical attention to sustain their lives.

“It is really a sobering experience. You can train all you want, but once you are face-to-face with the situation, it’s difficult,” said Sergeant Pruitt.

The situation brought the reality of war to the forefront, said Capt. Andrea Barlow, 48th MDOS clinical nurse.

“It’s easy to forget what’s happening downrange,” said Captian Barlow. “It’s one thing to read about it in the newspapers and see the numbers on television, but it’s another thing when you are there caring for them.”

The wounded servicemembers were air lifted from RAF Mildenhall to Germany the same afternoon.

Though sobering, the reality is that as the weather becomes colder and winter sets in Germany, the 48th Fighter Wing can expect busier times at the base hospital.

“Certainly we are going to be prepared for the worst case scenario,” said Col. Bob Miller, 48th Medical Group commander.

"This is what we do. This is what we train for, and my full confidence is in the group,” he said.