Total force combats explosive devices

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Andrew Schmidt
  • 451st Air Expeditionary Group
KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan (AFPN) --  On a normal day, operations at the 451st Air Expeditionary Group here can be typical of any deployed unit.

Civil engineer Airmen work tirelessly to keep the long-neglected runway open so that thousands of Soldiers can remain supplied. Aerial port Airmen load and unload a seemingly endless stream of aircraft carrying people and equipment. Services Airmen schedule activities to entertain those deployed to this far-flung location.

Sometimes, however, an event can occur that highlights the uniqueness of the 451st AEG and the Airmen assigned to it.

A perfect example of this occurred recently, when an Army convoy traveling north of Kandahar hit an improvised explosive device.

The incident showed how all the parts in such an expeditionary unit work together, and how the Air Force is supporting the warfighters on the ground in southern Afghanistan.

“The Air Force is here as the senior airport authority, but we’re also here to provide critical elements to support the Army’s offensive operations in southern Afghanistan,” said Col. Eric Vollmecke, 451st AEG commander deployed from the West Virginia Air National Guard. “With (tactical air control party), air evacuation, pararescue and explosive ordnance disposal (Airmen) we’re not your typical unit by any means.”

A Humvee in an Army convoy engaged in offensive operations in the area north of Kandahar hit the device, which caused heavy damage to the vehicle and injured two Soldiers. Traveling with the convoy were Staff Sgt. Mitchell Yang and Airman 1st Class Kenneth Farrar, tactical air controllers who were able to quickly call in air coverage to the site.

“They were able to get aircraft to the scene and help with security for ground forces and rescue personnel,” said Lt. Col. Wayne Canipe, TACP unit commander here. “They did their jobs very well.”

While EOD Airmen scoured the area for secondary devices and conducted forensics, medical evacuation Soldiers moved the two wounded Soldiers here for emergency treatment. An Air Force emergency rescue squadron was also sent up as a backup, which was necessary because of high winds and poor visibility in the area.

One Soldier later died as a result of his wounds, with the second receiving life-saving treatment here.

“(The Soldiers) brought him in here, stabilized him and performed surgery,” said Capt. Steve Theohares, a flight care coordinator with the 451st Air Evacuation Squadron deployed from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. “That’s when we got involved. We took over his care and got him to Landstuhl, Germany, for follow-up treatment.

“We were fortunate that a C-17 (Globemaster III) was in midair on a routine mission, and he got here in about five minutes,” he said.

Besides severe wounds that required amputating both legs, the Soldier also had significant arm injuries.

“He received outstanding care in the field, there’s no doubt,” Captain Theohares said. “Otherwise, he wouldn’t have made it.”

The excellent cooperation between the Soldiers and Airmen and the internal cohesion within the 451st made the difference between life and death for one Soldier, Colonel Vollmecke said.

“The Air Force of 20 years ago would not have been nearly as effective at operations such as this,” he said. “We have truly succeeded in instilling an expeditionary mindset, and those deploying now understand conditions in the field.

“We have a strong representation of total force here, and it’s really coming together on the battlefield,” he said.