An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : Media : News : News Article View
NEWS | April 13, 2015

ROK Army Surgeon General Visits 3rd General Support Aviation Battalion

By Pfc. Chung Il Kim

A UH-60 Black Hawk hovered above a placid lake at LZ Elbow, a field site, in South Korea. Strong wind from the propellers stirred the gentle lake violently. From the aircraft, a hoist was lowered down to the ground. Soldiers already on the ground rapidly strapped a 200 lb. dummy onto the hoist. The hoist lifted up quickly and smoothly despite the severe winds mixed with dust and water that made it hard for the Soldiers to even open their eyes. The dummy was then pulled into to helicopter and strapped down as the aircraft flew away.

On April 8, Maj. Nicholas Spangler, the commander of the Company C, 3-2 GSAB, 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, hosted Brig. Gen. Ahn, a Republic of Korea army surgeon general, for an aeromedical capabilities brief and live hoist demonstration. Ahn and his staff received hands-on instruction and information regarding how the unit incorporates medical training, planning, and materials into performing medevac operations throughout the Republic of Korea.

Maj. Spangler said he expected the visit to, “assist the ROKA in increasing their understanding of how the USFK conducts aeromedical evacuations and help the ROKA to be able to conduct aeromedical evacuation operations within the Republic of Korea.”

Brig. Gen. Clayton M. Hutmacher, the 2nd Infantry Division deputy commander of support, greeted Ahn at the Super Hanger with USFK and 2nd CAB Personnel. Ahn received a USFK medevac capabilities briefing and a tour of all the medevac facilities, including medevac operations and maintenance. The group returned to the Super Hangar for a simulated 9-line medevac mission, allowing Ahn to observe the full process from the intercom announcement through the aircraft launch.

Two aircraft departed Camp Humphreys for LZ Elbow with all of the ROKA personnel on board. Ahn observed hoist operations two different ways: from a “macro” view point (from his orbiting aircraft, he observed the other aircraft conducting a hoist scenario), and from a “micro” point of view (from inside the aircraft, he observed the aircrew conducting a hoist operation allowing him to visualize and hear the crews coordination steps that took place during the hoist training).

Capt. Jae Hyung Cho, a ROKA surgeon from the Aviation Operations Command, carefully observed the training and continuously took notes.

“Even in the same dire situation, U.S. medevac saves lives, while the Korean medevac fails” Cho said. “The ROKA should learn the U.S.’s effective chain of command programs to raise competent aeromedics and a welfare system to support the Soldiers after their services.”

Capt. Dawn Herron, a medevac platoon leader from Company C, 3rd GSAB, 2nd CAB, 2nd Infantry Division, was the officer who escorted the ROKA personnel due to her fluent Korean speaking abilities.

“It will strengthen the ROK and U.S. alliance and enhance the general’s knowledge of USFK medevac operations” said
CONNECT WITH USINDOPACOM
Facebook

Like Us
X
362,841
Follow Us

ENGAGE & CONNECT MORE WITH PACOM

                                                 

IN THE USINDOPACOM NEWS
Army CID Expands its Jurisdiction in Cobra Gold 2024, Major Exercise in Pacific Region
Special Agent Chow meets with Chonburi Provincial Police to discuss tactics, techniques, and procedures during Cobra Gold 2024.
March 20, 2024 - Supervisory Special Agent Erin Chow, Department of the Army Criminal Investigation, Far East Field Office became the first Army CID special agent to participate in the multinational Indo-Pacific military exercise Cobra Gold,...

U.S. Army Engineers Complete Wet Gap Crossing with the ROK Army
ROK Soldiers assigned to the 5th Corps Engineering Brigade River Crossing Company and Soldiers assigned to the 11th Engineer Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division ROK/U.S. Combined Division, complete construction on a joint bridge, during a combined wet gap crossing exercise, near the Imjin River in Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do from March 11-20, 2024. ROK and U.S. Army units utilized aviation, armor, air defense, chemical, biological and defense capabilities to train the security and protection of the site during the exercise that was designed to verify interoperability through the construction of a joint pontoon bridge. (U.S. Army photo by Pak, Chin-U)
March 20, 2024 - The 11th Engineer Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade, 2nd Infantry-ROK/U.S. Combined Division joins forces with the ROK army 5th Engineer Brigade to participate in a combined wet gap crossing training...

Statement from Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on the Upcoming Trilateral Leaders’ Summit of the Philippines, Japan, and the United States
Graphic intended for use as a placeholder for Statements and Press Releases without accompanying imagery.
March 19, 2024 - President Biden will host President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. of the Philippines and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan on April 11 at the White House for the first trilateral U.S.-Japan-Philippines leaders’ summit...

Lightning from the South Korean Sky: 5th ANGLICO at Warrior Shield 24
March 19, 2024 - To strengthen crisis response in the Indo-Pacific region, U.S. Marines with 5th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, III Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, and the Republic of Korea Marine Corps conducted exercise...

Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Call With Indian Minister of Defense Rajnath Singh
Graphic intended for use as a placeholder for Statements and Press Releases without accompanying imagery.
March 18, 2024 - Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder provided the following readout...