Alaska Army Guard aviators support Operation Arctic Care, get critical training
by Staff Sgt. Balinda O'Neal Dresel
Alaska National Guard Public Affairs
Kodiak, Alaska — Pilots and support personnel from the Alaska Army National Guard’s aviation battalions had the opportunity to operate in a unique environment in support of Operation Arctic Care 2017, a two-week Department of Defense innovative readiness training program that began here March 28.
This year’s Air Force Reserve-led, multi-service event coordinated with Kodiak Area Native Association and local civil authorities provided no-cost medical, dental, optometry, and veterinary services to communities across Kodiak Island. The program simultaneously allowed annual training requirements to be met, providing Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen the opportunity to perform medical care in austere conditions – crucial training for service members who could potentially be deployed anywhere in the world.
“It’s great being able to do a real-world mission at home,” said Sgt. Heidi Williams, a flight operations sergeant with 1st Battalion, 207th Aviation Regiment, who was excited about the opportunity to serve the community. “Alaskans helping Alaskans; it’s why I joined the Guard.”
The Alaska Army National Guard sent three UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, totaling 53.6 flight hours, to transport medical personnel and equipment to villages around Kodiak Island. The helicopters were operated and supported by 21 personnel including pilots, flight crews, mechanics, flight operations staff, and one flight medic. The villages supported include Akhiok, Karluk, Old Harbor, Ouzinkie and Port Lions.
Arctic Care 2017 also served as the first consolidated annual training for the Alaska Army National Guard’s new aeromedical evacuation unit, Detachment 2, Golf Company, 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 104th Regiment.
According to Sgt. Shelbi Bergmann, a flight operations sergeant with Golf Company, missions such as Arctic Care are essential to ensure that pilots and flight crews have the opportunity to fly the number of hours to maintain currency.
“They love flying here, because of the varied terrain and maritime weather,” explained Bergmann. “It provides a challenge that they don’t get flying where they’re used to in Anchorage.”
The aviation Soldiers also trained with United States Coast Guard helicopter flight crews outside of Arctic Care operations.
“We are a brand new medical unit, so we need to develop standard operating procedures on how to conduct hoist ops,” said Sgt. Mikana Halloran, a flight medic also with Golf Company, who was thrilled to have the opportunity to train on hoist operations with the Coast Guard. “This is a great opportunity to learn from people who have years of real-world experience.”
The Alaska National Guard helicopters flew 229 nautical miles to return to Bryant Army Air Field on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska on April 8, 2017. Before leaving, Sgt. Sean Pritchard, a helicopter mechanic with Golf Company, joked that, “we’ll all be relieved when we hit the mainland. We’re not used to flying over open water like that.”
Arctic Care has enriched U.S. military training and provided citizens in rurual communities across Alaska with free care every year since 1995.
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- A Texas Air National Guard C-130H Hercules aircraft taxies down the flight line at Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak, Alaska on March 26, 2017 delivering Airmen, medical supplies, and equipment for ARTICE CARE 2017. ARCTIC CARE 2017 is an Office of Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs (OSD/RA) sponsored, Air Force Reserve led, multi-service/component training event coordinated with Kodiak Area Native Association (KANA) and civil authorities in Kodiak, Alaska. (U.S. Air Force Photo/ Master Sgt. Luke Johnson)
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- Reserve and Guard Airmen load medical supplies onto a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter in preparation for delivery to villages on Kodiak Island, Alaska as part of ARCTIC CARE 2017 on March 26, 2017. ARCTIC CARE 2017 is an Office of Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs (OSD/RA) sponsored, Air Force Reserve led, multi-service/component training event coordinated with Kodiak Area Native Association (KANA) and civil authorities in Kodiak, Alaska. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Master Sgt. Luke Johnson)
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- Reserve and Guard Airmen arrive at Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak, Alaska on March 26, 2017 to take part in ARCTIC CARE 2017. ARCTIC CARE 2017 is an Office of Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs (OSD/RA) sponsored, Air Force Reserve led, multi-service/component training event coordinated with Kodiak Area Native Association (KANA) and civil authorities in Kodiak, Alaska. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Master Sgt. Luke Johnson)
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- Reserve and Guard Airmen arrive in tent city on March 26, 2017 at Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak, Alaska to take part in ARCTIC CARE 2017 medical readiness training exercies. ARCTIC CARE 2017 is an Office of Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs (OSD/RA) sponsored, Air Force Reserve led, multi-service/component training event coordinated with Kodiak Area Native Association (KANA) and civil authorities in Kodiak, Alaska. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Master Sgt. Luke Johnson)
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- Reserve and Guard service member’s inprocess on March 26, 2017 for ARCTIC CARE 2017 at Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak, Alaska. ARCTIC CARE 2017 is a civil-military collaboration intended to build on mutually beneficial partnerships between U.S. communities and the Department of Defense. It provides training opportunities for Active, Guard, and Reserve Service members to prepare for worldwide deployment while supporting the needs of underserved communities on Kodiak Island, Alaska. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Master Sgt. Luke Johnson)
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- Service members participating in ARCTIC CARE 2017 received electronic health record training in preparation for patient care on March 27, 2017 in Kodiak, Alaska. ARCTIC CARE 2017 is a civil-military collaboration intended to build on mutually beneficial partnerships between U.S. communities and the Department of Defense. It provides training opportunities for U.S. military (Active, Guard, Reserve) and Canadian Health service members to prepare for worldwide deployment while supporting the needs of underserved communities on Kodiak Island, Alaska. (U.S. Air Force photos by Master Sgt. Luke Johnson)
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- Senior Airman Lauren Scheonore with the 147th Medical Group Texas Air National Guard and SSgt. Keith Wuetig with the 434th Aerospace Medical Squadron train on how to properly use a retinal scanner before seeing patients during ARCTIC CARE 2017, March 27, 2017, Kodiak, Alaska. ARCTIC CARE 2017 is a civil-military collaboration intended to build on mutually beneficial partnerships between U.S. communities and the Department of Defense. It provides training opportunities for U.S. military (Active, Guard, Reserve) and Canadian Health service members to prepare for worldwide deployment while supporting the needs of underserved communities on Kodiak Island, Alaska. (U.S. Force Photo by Master Sgt. Luke Johnson)
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- Navy Lt. Cmdr. Jason Allen attached to the Marine 4th Dental Battalion at ARCTIC CARE 2017 performs a root canal as part of the Innovative Readiness Training Program March 27, 2017, Kodiak, Alaska. ARCTIC CARE 2017 is a civil-military collaboration intended to build on mutually beneficial partnerships between U.S. communities and the Department of Defense. It provides training opportunities for U.S. military (Active, Guard, Reserve) and Canadian Health service members to prepare for worldwide deployment while supporting the needs of underserved communities on Kodiak Island, Alaska. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Master Sgt. Luke Johnson)
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- Lt. Col. Mark Davis with the 147th Medical Group adjusts a manual phoropter in order to find the correct prescription lenses for a patient during ARCTIC CARE 2017, March 28, 2017, Kodiak, Alaska. The Air Force Reserve led medical readiness exercise gives service members an opportunity to train on deployable medical equipment while serving all of the citizens of Kodiak Island Alaska. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Luke Johnson)