C-130J Converted to Flying Critical Care Unit

Airmen from two Air Force units teamed up to convert a standard C-130J Super Hercules into a flying critical care unit in mid-air during a real-world mission out of Ramstein AB, Germany, according to an Aug. 4 release. The airmen from the 86th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron and the 86th Medical Squadron worked through low-light conditions and turbulence to set up the sophisticated medical equipment in about three hours. The C-130J was filled with the amount of medical equipment and supplies that normally would go into the larger C-17 Globemaster III. “We set up two surgery tables with patient-monitoring equipment and several other litters,” said MSgt. Jose Ariaspatino, 86the MDS Surgical Services flight chief. “We also set up several side-wall litters designed to get our bags off the ground and easily accessible.” Maj. Jennifer Jamison Gines, 86th MDS acute care nurse practitioner, said: “There is no other capability like this in the Air Force. We literally practiced with Lego pieces to visually develop the complicated special limitations,” she said. “It’s not every day you get to see something like that happen,” said SrA. Christian McDevitt, 37th Airlift Squadron loadmaster. “It’s remarkable that we have the capability to do such things.”