39th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron Builds Arctic Patient Movement Capability For Future High-North Operations

*Airmen from the 139th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron visit an arctic survival training camp in Resolute Bay, Nunavut, Canada, Feb. 23, 2023.*

Editor's Note: As a former USAF pilot who spent three years in Alaska, and went through 'Cool School', this article interested me and we thought our readers would have interest as the U.S. military looks toward arctic operations in scale.

The 139th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron is developing a dedicated Arctic aeromedical evacuation capability as the U.S. military and its allies prepare for increased operations across the High North.

The effort focuses on training Air Force aeromedical evacuation crews to operate in extreme cold, validate medical equipment in Arctic conditions, integrate with allied partners, and move injured or ill personnel from remote locations to higher levels of care.

“The Arctic is not simply a colder version of the battlefield,” said Lt. Col. Jeff Burns, a flight nurse with the 139th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron. “In this environment, the cold, distance, darkness, weather, and isolation become operational threats. If we are going to save lives there, we have to be trained, equipped, and mentally prepared before the emergency happens.”

Staff Writer

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