Ohio Air National Guard units train in England

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Zachary Wintgens
  • 121 ARW/PA
RAF MILDENHALL, England. --  Ohio Air National Guard units came together with the active duty Air Force, as they performed annual training during the month of July and into August, 2014, at RAF Mildenhall, England. Members of the 180th Fighter Wing, 179th Airlift Wing and 121st Air Refueling Wing trained with their active duty counterparts from their specific career fields, working with both RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath.

The Airmen performed duties within the 48th Medical Group, including Emergency Services; Family Health Clinic; Flight and Operational Medicine Clinic; General Surgery; Orthopedics and Podiatry Clinic; Pediatrics Clinic; Immunizations; Laboratory and Pathology; and Outpatient Records. Airmen also participated at Lakenheath AFB's state of the art medical simulation complex, which consisted of life-like mannequins that simulated realistic breathing, blinking eyes, cardio and circulatory functions. The patient simulators could also provide real time responses through a wireless microphone and speaker system controlled by the training instructors located in a separate room. The patient simulators are estimated to cost from $30,000 for the infant simulator packages to $70,000 for the adult simulator packages.

The 48th Medical Group supports the combat capability of the 48th Fighter Wing, 100th Air Refueling Wing, 501st Combat Support Wing and 352nd Special Operations Group by offering primary and specialty health care services to more than 35,000 eligible beneficiaries totaling 123,000 outpatient encounters annually at six operating locations throughout the U.K. and Norway. The clinic also completes about 68,000 dental visits, 234,000 laboratory procedures, 1,450 surgeries and 510 infant deliveries per year.

The purpose of this mission was to accomplish required Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) training and to obtain theater awareness. In addition, this overseas annual tour training helped foster relationships between the Air National Guard medical units and the United States Air Force in Europe (USAFE) Surgeon's Office, creating future training opportunities within the USAFE theater. This training provided realistic operational experience, introduction and immersion into the USAFE theater of operations as well as to alliance partners with the Royal Air Force (RAF) medical personnel and the active duty counterparts.