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        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      Airmen from the 433rd Medical Group perform a litter carry from a CH-47 Chinook assigned to the Texas Army National Guard, during a training exercise at Martindale Army Airfield, San Antonio, TX, Feb 1, 2019.190201-F-HA566-129
                        
                        
                        Airmen from the 433rd Medical Group perform a litter carry from a CH-47 Chinook assigned to the Texas Army National Guard, during a training exercise at Martindale Army Airfield, San Antonio Feb 1, 2019. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Christopher Boitz)
                
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        Sergeant First Class Dion Cortez, left, and Staff Sergeant Charles Jackson look out the doors of a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter during a sling load training event at Martindale Army Airfield, San Antonio, TX, Feb. 1, 2019.190201-F-HA566-269
                        
                        
                        Sgt. 1st Class Dion Cortez, left, and Staff Sgt. Charles Jackson look out the doors of a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter during a sling load training event at Martindale Army Airfield, San Antonio Feb. 1, 2019. Sergeant’s Cortez and Jackson are both Flight Medics assigned to Company C, 2-149, Aviation Regiment. (U.S. Air Force photo by MSgt Christopher Boitz)
                
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        A joint, Air Force and Army medical team carries a simulated patient to an idling Texas Army National Guard CH-47 Chinook during Operation Dust Storm Feb. 1, 2019 at Martindale Army Air Field, Texas.Total force exercise sharpens combat-ready skills
                        
                        
                        A joint Air Force and Army medical team carries a simulated patient to an idling Texas Army National Guard CH-47 Chinook during Operation Dust Storm Feb. 1, 2019 at Martindale Army Air Field, Texas. This exercise is a joint, total-force training event with active-duty and Reserve Air Force and Army National Guard personnel. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Kristian Carter)
                
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        A ground crew prepares to hook a Humvee to a Texas Army National Guard CH-47 Chinook for airlifting during Operation Dust Storm at Martindale Army Air Field, Texas Feb. 1, 2019.Total force exercise sharpens combat-ready skills
                        
                        
                        A ground crew prepares to hook a Humvee to a Texas Army National Guard CH-47 Chinook for airlifting during Operation Dust Storm at Martindale Army Air Field, Texas Feb. 1, 2019. The helicopter and ground crews were participating in this joint, total-force training event with active-duty and Reserve Air Force and Army National Guard personnel. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Kristian Carter)
                
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Total force exercise sharpens combat-ready skillsPublished Feb. 6, 2019
                    
                    By Master Sgt. Kristian Carter
                    
                    
                    433rd Airlift Wing
            **JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas (AFNS) --**Aerial porters, defenders and medical personnel from the 433rd Airlift Wing joined the 502nd Air Base Wing defenders, the San Antonio Military Medical Center doctors and helicopter crews from Texas Army National Guard, 2nd Battalion, 149th Aviation Regiment in Operation Dust Storm Feb. 1 at Martindale Army Air Field, Texas.
These joint, total-force training exercises are created and designed to be beneficial for all parties.
“Ground teams train to conduct their aviation-related tasks in a focused manner and not be distracted by the newness or disorientation of operating with military aircraft,” said Col. Kjäll Gopaul, Air Education and Training Command mission pathfinder. “For the aircrews, we increase the realism of training by providing train-as-we-fight ground teams for the tactical passenger/casualty movement, patient transfer, sling load hook-ups, pick-up zone command and control with a pathfinder team using tactical radios, signaling smoke, touchdown point markings, and extensive pre-mission planning,” he said.
“For (Joint Base San Antonio), it may very well be the most complex airborne mission in recent memory, involving diverse aircraft from two different installations, conducting tactical passenger movement, transport of casualties across two geographically separated landing zones, live-aircraft patient transfer of litter and ambulatory casualties, simultaneous sling loading on a single landing zone with two different aircraft using three different cargo loads, joint, total-force personnel, and incorporation of airborne combat camera documentation,” Gopaul said.
The first event of the day, was an Army National Guard CH-47 Chinook helicopter transporting simulated patients and an ambulance from Kelly Field at JB San Antonio-Lackland to Martindale. Once the aircraft arrived, a medical team  practiced transporting patients on a litter to and from the running aircraft.
“We’re here today training in a joint environment, learning how to load and unload injured patients from Blackhawk and Chinook helicopters, and how to triage patients to get them to care in a safe and effective manner,” said Army Maj. Allyson Cochet, San Antonio Military Medical Center gastroenterologist. “This is what we do in a deployed environment. We take care of service members and learning how to move them quickly to the level of care they need is critical. That’s how we save them if they need care quickly.”
The Chinook then returned to Kelly Field to pick up additional personnel.
The 26th and 74th Aerial Port Squadron’s air transportation specialists worked as the ground crew, practicing  hooking up sling-load packages, while an Army Guard UH-60 Blackhawk crew practiced retrieving and delivering the loads.
“We practice how to build and rig pallets for sling-loading,” said Staff Sgt. Raul Romero, 26th APS, air transportation specialist. “We had different members doing different tasks such as hooking onto the helicopter and members re-tying the break-away ties. I’ve learned that teamwork is essential, especially when it comes to the types of exercises like these, it’s essential for you to execute the mission.”total force 



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