Air Force District of Washington –
The 779th Medical Group Aeromedical Staging Facility serves as the primary East Coast hub for aeromedical evacuation aircraft returning sick or injured patients from Europe, Africa and the Middle East to the United States for care. They are the first stop on American soil for Wounded Warriors as they transit from CENTCOM Theater of operation to their next treatment facility or home in the U.S.
"We average 100 patients per week and have performed over 4,500 patient moves since January 1, 2010," said Capt. Nicole Stoneburg, Chief of Clinical Operations at the 779th Medical Group ASF.
"What we do is very much a team concept. We work closely together to coordinate all the details of our missions, both the inbound and outbound flights," said Captain Stoneburg.
"Driving our efforts is the recognition that every minute counts when getting patients, particularly those with the most serious conditions, to care. Combat troops typically arrive here within 72 hours of suffering a severe battlefield injury -- a vast improvement over past conflicts," Captain Stoneburg explained. "During Operation Desert Storm in 1991, it took 10 days. The average was 21 days during the Vietnam War. Today, patients categorized as "urgent" are moved even faster."
"These are patients who, if you delay, you lose a life. If you delay, you lose a limb. If you delay, they lose their eyesight," said Col. Steve Cramer, 779th Aerospace Medicine Squadron commander. "So the faster we're able to move, the better their outcomes will be."
The ASF staff is the busiest ASF in the States. The ASF team consists of permanent party and deployed personnel from Air Force active duty, Air Force Reserve, and Air National Guard who care for our wounded warriors. In addition, service liaisons from the Army, Navy and Marines along with volunteers from the American Red Cross assist with every mission.
From 2007 through 2008, the ASF received a $4.9 million renovation, resulting in a state-of-the-art medical facility with an increased capacity of 90 beds. This renovation enabled the ASF to continue to provide care and comfort to Wounded Warriors returning from Operation ENDURING FREEDOM and Operation IRAQI FREEDOM.
It has been over 50 years since Andrews AFB was designated as "the place where aeromedical evacuation missions land." Since that time more than 100,000 patients have been safely transported on missions arriving and departing from the Andrews ASF. Together with advances in critical care air transport, the ASF continues to pursue its ever-vigilant mission to achieve safe, efficient aeromedical evacuation transport.