The Air Force on March 21 flew its first non-stop aeromedical evacuation flight from Afghanistan to Germany, making it in just 10 hours compared to the three to five days such flights previously would consume by stopping over in Kuwait first. Journalist SSgt. Carlos Diaz reports that scheduling the medevac missions is the job of the patient administration division at the new theater hospital at Bagram AB, Afghanistan. Despite its expanded capability, the new facility must send some patients to larger hospitals, such as at Landstuhl, Germany.
The Air Force could conduct an operation like Israel's successful air campaign against Iran's nuclear sites, military leadership and air defenses, but readiness issues would make it risky, airpower experts said. Limited spare parts and training, low mission capable rates and few flying hours would put a drag on USAF's…