TV writer embeds with medical teams in Iraq

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In a first for Hollywood, the Air Force was able to embed a screenwriter with a medical unit in Iraq for research on a proposed television series. 

Jeff Eckerle visited the Air Force Theater Hospital at Balad Air Base, Iraq, from April 7 to 16 in order to help develop the series, based in part on the Air Force’s Critical Care Air Transport Teams. The CCATT mission is to operate an intensive care unit in an aircraft during flight. 

Mr. Eckerle, a screenwriter whose credits include "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit" and "The Medicine Man" for Cruise/Wagner and Paramount Pictures, observed the efficiency of the hospital’s emergency room during a mass casualty incident in which Iraqi citizens were treated after being injured by a car bomb explosion.  He also witnessed several emergency operations, including surgery on a suspected insurgent who allegedly had been involved in a mortar attack on the base. 

"We wanted Jeff to be able to convey the courage, skill and dedication of our medical folks," said Lt. Col. Stephen Clutter, director of the Air Force Entertainment Liaison office in Westwood, Calif. "In this case, we determined the best way to do that was to get him over to our theater hospital at Balad Air Base in Iraq." 

The combat hospital was where ABC News anchorman Bob Woodruff and camerman Doug Vogt received life-saving treatment after their convoy was hit by an improvised explosive device in January. 

Mr. Eckerle was able to ride along on helicopters bringing injured patients into Balad. He also observed the CCATT in action during a medical evacuation mission aboard a C-17 Globemaster III flying from Balad to the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. 

A CCATT is a three-member team consisting of a critical care physician, critical care nurse and a respiratory therapist. Although able to work in combat zones, the teams also participate in humanitarian operations and peacetime movements of critically ill patients, often in very dangerous conditions. 

The project was brought to Mr. Eckerle and writer Marilyn Osborn ("The X-Files," "L.A. Doctors") by film producers Bill Borden and Barry Rosenbush. The producers spent two years solidifying their relationship with the Air Force and the 59th Medical Wing at Wilford Hall Medical Center at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.

Mr. Rosenbush was intrigued by the uniqueness of the facility and its mandate as a cutting-edge trauma center. In February, they were joined by Emmy-nominated director James Wong ("Final Destination," "The X-Files") on a research trip to San Antonio, where they were first introduced to the CCATT concept. 

"We see the show as 'ER' meets 'M*A*S*H,' a unique medical drama with a healthy dose of action," said Mr. Rosenbush. "But, it’s the human component that really drew us to the idea. The level of commitment required of these people exacts a very personal toll, which they willingly accept, but can’t fully appreciate until they’re in the middle of it. This, of course, is the stuff of great drama." 

According to Mr. Wong, another element that drew them to the project was the scope of the storytelling. 

"It’s not just a military drama," he said. "Wilford Hall Medical Center is a Level One trauma facility for the city of San Antonio. Techniques developed in the heat of battle translate into cutting-edge medicine here at home. That's why the CCATTs are called to medical emergencies all over the world. They're the first 'boots on the ground' at natural disasters like (Hurricane) Katrina, the first team in the sky to pick up a critically ill child from across the ocean, the only plane willing to land on an Arctic ice flow to evacuate a trapped scientist. The stories are endless." 

It was their trip to San Antonio that led to Mr. Eckerle’s invitation by the Air Force to accompany them on an actual mission to Iraq. 

"These young men and women are 'Top Gun Docs,' flying into high-pressure situations, anywhere in the world, on a moment’s notice," Mr. Eckerle said. "I couldn't pass up the opportunity to watch them in action, and Iraq was the best place to get a crash course in what they do."

"They're some of the most dedicated, courageous people I've ever met, applying equal parts skill, heart and humor to save lives under very intense circumstances," he said. "Hopefully, we can translate their experiences into a compelling dramatic television series."