TSgt. Kevin Allen reports that American Air Force and Army doctors at Kirkuk AB, Iraq, met with their local Iraqi counterparts recently, discussing not only patient transfer but also trauma treatment concepts and rebuilding the internal trauma care network in the local area. The original objective for the gathering was to initiate transfer of postoperative Iraqi civilians treated for critical injuries in the coalition military medical system. “In our small part of the world, it was nation building at its best,” said Col. Tama Van Decar, the 506th Expeditionary Medical Squadron commander.
F-35As from the Vermont Air National Guard have deployed to Puerto Rico in recent days, continuing a major buildup of U.S. Air Force assets in Latin America aimed at combating drug trafficking and pressuring the regime of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.

