48th MDG undergoes aeromedical training alongside US, UK forces

Joint-force medical personnel carry a simulated casualty from a CH-47 Chinook during exercise Combat Joint Atlantic Serpent at Royal Air Force Brize Norton, England, July, 25. CJAS is a week-long field training exercise where joint-force medical personnel conduct aeromedical evacuation simulations to increase interoperability between partnering nations and services during the transfer of injured individuals. (U.S. Air Force photo /Senior Airman Nigel Sandridge)

48th MDG undergoes aeromedical training alongside US, UK forces

Joint-force medical personnel enter a CH-47 Chinook during exercise Combat Joint Atlantic Serpent at Royal Air Force Brize Norton, England, July, 25. CJAS is a week-long interoperablity exercise between U.S. and U.K. forces to enhance patient movement procedures. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Nigel Sandridge/Released)

48th MDG undergoes aeromedical training alongside US, UK forces

Joint-force medical personnel attend to a simulated casualty during exercise Combat Joint Atlantic Serpent at Royal Air Force Brize Norton, England, July, 25. U.K. and U.S. forces worked together during CJAS to get a better understanding of each military’s methods of aeromedical transportation and evacuation. (U.S. Air Force photo /Senior Airman Nigel Sandridge)

48th MDG undergoes aeromedical training alongside US, UK forces

U.S. Air Force Capt. Ingabritt Backlund, 86th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron flight nurse, guides joint-force medical personnel as they carry a simulated casualty from a CH-47 Chinook into a C-17A Globemaster during exercise Combat Joint Atlantic Serpent at Royal Air Force Brize Norton, England, July, 25. CJAS is a week-long field training exercise where joint-force medical personnel conduct aeromedical evacuation simulations to increase interoperability between branches during the transfer of injured individuals. (U.S. Air Force photo /Senior Airman Nigel Sandridge)

48th MDG undergoes aeromedical training alongside US, UK forces

Published Aug. 1, 2016
By Senior Airman Nigel Sandridge
48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

ROYAL AIR FORCE BRIZE NORTON, England -- Airmen from the 48th Medical Group joined forces with fellow U.S. Marines, U.S. Army and U.S. Navy service members, along with U.K. allies, to participate in exercise Combined Joint Atlantic Serpent at Royal Air Force Brize Norton, England, July 25.

CJAS is a week-long field training exercise where joint-force medical personnel conduct aeromedical evacuation simulations to increase profiency between the joint and international service branches utilizing helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft to transfer injured service members to safe locations for medical treatment.

“Our position here, as enroute patient staging, is to maintain a patient’s stable conditon until available aircraft is ready for transport to a higher-level medical facitlity,”said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Ryan Gable, 48th Medical Group ERPS system director of operations.

While the end goal for all services is effective patient care, the challenge lies in the service-specific differences in medical procedures between the joint and allied branches, which can cause instruction to be lost translation. The various exercise scenarios allow U.S. and U.K. military medical technicians to break down those barriers to gain more efficient techniques working together through trial and error.

“We all work toward the same goal, but have different ways of acquiring it,” said Royal Air Force Cpl. Gareth Jones, RAF Brize Norton flight medic. “Our methods, terminology and even paperwork for the processes are different, so it’s refreshing to get to work with the American militaries to develop an even playing field.”

The 48th Fighter Wing’s MDG continuously strives to provide its team with in-depth training opportunities to grow them into mission-capable technicians. Exercises like CJAS remain a vital component to ensuring that Liberty Airmen meet the wing’s expectation to be ‘Forward, Ready, Now.’