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Dustoff Afghanistan { 32 images } Created 16 Jul 2013

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  • Konar Valley, Eastern Afghanistan 6th of may 2009: A US Army Black Hawk Medevac helicopter is going on a mission up the Konar Valley towards Bostik in Eastern Afghanistan.  The valleys close to the Pakistani border are still considered very volatile with attacks on observation posts and aircraft taking place on a daily basis. All Medevac Helicopters fly with at least one armed chase helicopter.  Geneva conventions prevent Medevac helicopters from carrying any mounted weapons onboard.
    dustoff_afghanistan_02.jpg
  • Blessing, Eastern Afghanistan 9th of May 2009: The Dustoff crew has landed in hostile territory in Eastern Afghanistan. An Afghan Special forces soldier is taken on board. His upper arm was seriously injured by the blast of an RPG (Rocket propelled grenade).<br />
Helicopters get attacked frequently in the Konar and Korengal Valley. Medevac missions are especially risky since the crew usually are occupied with rescue operations and have to rely on another aircraft to give them cover.
    dustoff_afghanistan_03.jpg
  • Konar Valley, Eastern Afghanistan 6th of may 2009: A US Army Black Hawk Medevac helicopter is going on a mission up the Konar Valley towards Bostik in Eastern Afghanistan.  The valleys close to the Pakistani border are still considered very volatile with attacks on observation posts and aircraft taking place on a daily basis. All Medevac Helicopters fly with at least one armed chase helicopter.  Geneva conventions prevent Medevac helicopters from carrying any mounted weapons onboard.
    dustoff_afghanistan_01.jpg
  • Goshta, Eastern Afghanistan: Flight Medics Ssg Emmett Spraktes (right) and Flight Surgeon Captain Brendan McCriskin treat two ANA Afghan National Army soldiers who were wounded an IED (improvised explosive device) explosion.  The explosion left three ANA soldiers dead and 3 seriously wounded while on patrol  close to the border with Pakistan.
    dustoff_afghanistan_04.jpg
  • Jalalabad, Eastern Afghanistan 12th May 2009: Crew Chief Sgt Kevin "Dangle" Duerst (right)  is about to lower Flight Medic Sgt Emmet Spraktes down on a hoist just north of Jalalabad.<br />
Hoist missions are the most difficult and dangerous Medevac missions in hostile environments and have to be trained for over an over again.
    dustoff_afghanistan_06.jpg
  • Asadabad, Eastern Afghanistan 9th of May 2009: Dustoff Medevac Flight Medic Ssg Emmett Spraktes tries to calm the injured Afghan Special Forces soldier and checks his vitals on their way back to Jalalabad. Helicopters get attacked frequently in the Konar and Korengal Valley. Medevac missions are especially risky since the crew usually are occupied with rescue operations and have to rely on another aircraft to give them cover.
    dustoff_afghanistan_05.jpg
  • Bagram, Afghanistan: A nurse comforts an injured soldier in pain at the Heath Craig Joint Theatre Hospital at Bagram Airfield. Four US soldier and one civilian were seriously wounded by an IED blast (improvised explosive device) in theTagab Valley.
    dustoff_afghanistan_07.jpg
  • Bagram, Afghanistan: An injured soldier is off loaded  from a Medevac helicopter at Bagram Airfield. Four US soldier and one civilian were seriously wounded by an IED blast (improvised explosive device) in theTagab Valley.
    dustoff_afghanistan_08.jpg
  • Jalalabad, Eastern Afghanistan 9th of May 2009: Immediately after sending the soldier to Bagram two more casualties come in.  An injured Afghan civilian has stepped on a landmine and is taken to the medical facility at Jalalabad Airfield.
    dustoff_afghanistan_09.jpg
  • Jalalabad, Eastern Afghanistan 11th May 2009: Medevac  Flight Medic Al Smoot attends an injured US soldier. The soldier was thrown out of the gunner's tower when the vehicle overturned.
    dustoff_afghanistan_10.jpg
  • Jalalabad, Eastern Afghanistan 9th of May 2009: Immediately after sending the soldier to Bagram two more casualties come in.  An injured Afghan National Police man was shot in the stomach and is taken to the medical facility at Jalalabad Airfield.
    dustoff_afghanistan_11.jpg
  • Jalalabad, Eastern Afghanistan: Flight Medic Ssg Emmett Spraktes (left) helps carry one of the three ANA Afghan National Army soldiers to an ambulance. The were wounded by an IED (improvised explosive device) explosion.  The explosion left three ANA soldiers dead and three seriously wounded while on patrol  close to the border with Pakistan.
    dustoff_afghanistan_12.jpg
  • Jalalabad, Eastern Afghanistan: Flight Medics Ssg Emmett Spraktes (left) helps carry one of the three ANA Afghan National Army soldiers to an ambulance. The were wounded by an IED (improvised explosive device) explosion.  The explosion left three ANA soldiers dead and three seriously wounded while on patrol  close to the border with Pakistan.
    dustoff_afghanistan_13.jpg
  • Jalalabad, Eastern Afghanistan 9th of May 2009: The injured Afghan Special Forces soldier is taken to another aircraft in order to take him to Bagram Airfield.
    dustoff_afghanistan_14.jpg
  • Bagram, Afghanistan: Three nurses and one surgeon treat an injured soldier and at the Heath Craig Joint Theatre Hospital at Bagram Airfield. Four US soldier and one civilian were seriously wounded by an IED blast (improvised explosive device) in theTagab Valley.
    dustoff_afghanistan_16.jpg
  • Jalalabad, Eastern Afghanistan 11th May 2009: Medevac  Flight Medic Al Smoot directs a stretcher with an injured US soldier towards his helicopter. The soldier was thrown out of the gunner's tower when the vehicle overturned and injured his neck and back.
    dustoff_afghanistan_15.jpg
  • Jalalabad, Eastern Afghanistan: Flight Medic Ssg Emmett Spraktes (right) tries calming one of three wounded ANA Afghan National Army soldiers while he being is treated in the Trauma Department of the FST (Forward Surgical Team). The soldier was wounded by an IED (improvised explosive device) explosion.  The explosion left three ANA soldiers dead and three seriously wounded while on patrol  close to the border with Pakistan.
    dustoff_afghanistan_18.jpg
  • Bagram, Afghanistan: A nurse removes a  dirty litter and ripped clothes of an injured soldier and at the Heath Craig Joint Theatre Hospital at Bagram Airfield. Four US soldier and one civilian were seriously wounded by an IED (improvised explosive device) in theTagab Valley.
    dustoff_afghanistan_17.jpg
  • Jalalabad, Eastern Afghanistan: The wounded hand of one of three wounded ANA Afghan National Army soldiers who are treated in the Trauma Department of the FST (Forward Surgical Team). He was wounded by an IED (improvised explosive device) explosion.  The explosion left three ANA soldiers dead and three seriously wounded while on patrol  close to the border with Pakistan.
    dustoff_afghanistan_19.jpg
  • Jalalabad, Eastern Afghanistan 9th of May 2009: An injured Afghan civilian has stepped on a landmine and is treated at the medical facility at Jalalabad Airfield. The medics have removed all his bandages in order to examine the extent of the injuries.  He was later operated on a damaged artery below the knee and a bypass was created.  The risk of losing the left leg remained high.
    dustoff_afghanistan_21.jpg
  • Jalalabad, Eastern Afghanistan 9th of May 2009: Immediately after sending the soldier to Bagram two more casualties have come in.  Brigade Surgeon Major Everett Fuller attends to an injured civilian who has stepped on a land mine.
    dustoff_afghanistan_20.jpg
  • Jalalabad, Eastern Afghanistan: One of three wounded ANA Afghan National Army soldiers is off loaded from ambulance to be taken to the Trauma Department of the FST (Forward Surgical Team). The were wounded by an IED (improvised explosive device) explosion.  The explosion left three ANA soldiers dead and three seriously wounded while on patrol  close to the border with Pakistan.
    dustoff_afghanistan_22.jpg
  • Jalalabad Airfield, Eastern Afghanistan 8th of May 2009: Medevac Flight Medic Sgt. Marc Dragony shows an Intra Ossios drill. "I only use this thing in extreme circumstances. " The device is used to drill into a patients bone in case intravenous needles can't be set because of the nature of an injury.  Drips straight into the bone marrow of a patient can provide quick relief for dehydrated patients. Medevac missions are especially risky since the crew usually are occupied with rescue operations and have to rely on another aircraft to give them cover.
    dustoff_afghanistan_23.jpg
  • Asadabad, Eastern Afghanistan 9th of May 2009: Dustoff Medevac Flight Medic Ssg Emmett Spraktes accompanies the injured Afghan Special Forces soldier  in the ambulance to get him back to the aircraft for transfer to Bagram via Jalalabad. Helicopters get attacked frequently in the Konar and Korengal Valley. Medevac missions are especially risky since the crew usually are occupied with rescue operations and have to rely on another aircraft to give them cover.
    dustoff_afghanistan_24.jpg
  • Asadabad, Eastern Afghanistan 9th of May 2009: Dustoff Medevac Flight Medic Ssg Emmett Spraktes gets ready  to fly the injured Afghan Special Forces soldier back to Jalalabad. Helicopters get attacked frequently in the Konar and Korengal Valley. Medevac missions are especially risky since the crew usually are occupied with rescue operations and have to rely on another aircraft to give them cover.
    dustoff_afghanistan_26.jpg
  • Jalalabad Airfield, Eastern Afghanistan 6th of May 2009: Pilot CW4 Gary Heyne checks on Specialist Carlos Pamplona-Bustamante as he is doing a "Daily" also called PMD (Preventive Maintenance Daily). Black Hawk helicopters undergo a stringent maintenance routine after every flight and certain intervals. For every hour in the air there are about 3 - 4 hours maintenance on the ground.
    dustoff_afghanistan_27.jpg
  • Asadabad, Eastern Afghanistan 9th of May 2009: Dustoff Medevac Flight Medic Ssg Emmett Spraktes communicates with the crew over the radio system while attending to the injured Afghan Special Forces soldier on their way back to Jalalabad. Helicopters get attacked frequently in the Konar and Korengal Valley. Medevac missions are especially risky since the crew usually are occupied with rescue operations and have to rely on another aircraft to give them cover.
    dustoff_afghanistan_25.jpg
  • Jalalabad, Eastern Afghanistan: As part of the 120 hour service the maintenance crew gives the "bird" a good wash. Maintenance is vital for Blackhawk helicopters. For every hour in the air there between three and four hours on the ground are spent on maintenance.
    dustoff_afghanistan_28.jpg
  • Jalalabad, Eastern Afghanistan:  Medevac Pilot Brandon Erdmann receives a Combat Action Badge for bravery for an extremely dangerous Medevac mission in Eastern Afghanistan.
    dustoff_afghanistan_29.jpg
  • Jalalabad, Eastern Afghanistan: Flight Medic Ssg. Emmett Spraktes (left) enjoys a cigar  with his colleagues on the porch of the Taskforce palehorse Medevac operations centre in Jalalabad. With the fighting increasing during the summer months a busy summer of Medevac operations lies ahead in eastern Afghanistan.
    dustoff_afghanistan_31.jpg
  • Jalalabad, Eastern Afghanistan: While waiting for their next call Medevac Pilots CW4 Gary Heyne (left)  and Brandon Erdmann enjoy a cigar  on the porch of the Taskforce palehorse Medevac operations centre in Jalalabad. With the fighting increasing during the summer months a busy summer of Medevac operations lies ahead in eastern Afghanistan.
    dustoff_afghanistan_30.jpg
  • Jalalabad, Eastern Afghanistan: Flight Medic Sgt Nate Wharton takes two litters for cleaning after the last mission to Goshta close to the border with Pakistan. The rest of the crew are getting the helicopter  ready for the next mission. An IED (improvised explosive device) explosion left three ANA soldiers dead and three seriously wounded while on patrol close to the border with Pakistan.
    dustoff_afghanistan_32.jpg