Official: AF nurses provide key support in OEF, OIF

  • Published
  • By G.W. Pomeroy
  • Air Force Surgeon General Public Affairs
WASHINGTON (AFPN) --  Air Force nurses have provided tremendous support in operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, treating more than 200,000 patients throughout Southwest Asia, Maj. Gen. Barbara C. Brannon told the Senate Appropriations Committee's subcommittee on defense April 28.

General Brannon, the Air Force’s assistant surgeon general for both nursing services and medical force development, said that 725 active-duty, Reserve and Guard nurses have deployed with 24 expeditionary medical support units in the operations. Six nurses have served as expeditionary medical squadron commanders within the past year, she said.

She also described the role of flight nurses and aeromedical evacuation technicians, who have "seamlessly integrated" with medical service corps officers, front-end aircrews and ground medical units.

"Since last spring we have flown (more than) 3,200 missions and supported more than 40,000 patient transports without a single in-flight combat-related death," General Brannon said.

"Aeromedical evacuation is a vital link in combat casualty care and a key Air Force capability," she said. "Our ability to provide critical care in the air with specialized transport teams bridges the gap between point of trauma and definitive medical treatment."

The general also addressed nurse recruiting and retention, and said that even though fiscal 2003 was Air Force nursing's best recruiting year since 1998, challenges remain in recruiting. Those challenges are related to the continuing serious shortage of nurses across the United States.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in 2003 that nursing has the largest projected job growth anticipated through 2012. And even though nursing bachelor degree program enrollments increased across the country last year, 11,000 qualified students were turned away because of limitations in faculty, clinical sites and classrooms.

General Brannon said that despite not meeting the Air Force’s nurse recruiting goal for five straight years, at the end of fiscal 2003, the service was 118 nurses under its authorized end strength of 3,862. This was a 16-percent improvement over the previous year. Additionally, the general said that "retention remains strong at 93 percent."

She said the recruiting turnaround was helped, in part, by congressionally approved initiatives such as educational loan repayments of up to $28,000 or accession bonuses of $10,000. Expanding education, training and research programs provide an array of opportunities that will encourage nurses to stay in the service, ease recruiting requirements “and keep Air Force nursing strong,” she said.