Jason Angus

Reporter

jangus@civitasmedia.com

On Tuesday Feb. 12, the 97th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs office hosted a pre-screening of National Geographic’s new television series, “Inside Combat Rescue,” for Altus Air Force Base and their family members.

The Public Affairs office took this opportunity to emphasize the fundamental importance AAFB has in Air Force rescue missions.

1st Lt. Katie Cousins of the 97th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs Office said, “We were aiming to highlight our role in the fight here at Altus Air Force base, where mobility training begins. Mobility aircraft play a vital role in support of this mission, by getting crews and equipment into and out of the area of responsibility, and with aeromedical evacuation capabilities that allow injured patients to get home safely.”

Altus AFB is the training center for C-17 pilots who transport combat personnel and equipment to and from the U.S and Middle East.

The premiere episode, “Visions of War,” is an up-close account of Air Force pararescuers who risk their lives to provide medi-vac assistance and life-saving medical attention to injured solider’s and civilians while in Kandahar City, Afganastan, a locale of high insurgent activity.

Once the show ended, a panel consisting of pilots, aircrew members, and medical professionals answered questions from the audience about their personal roles in the overall rescue mission.

A member of the panel, Capt. Ryan Bogart, Flight Surgeon of 97th Air Mobility Wing Medical Group, commented that he had transported over 1,000 injured military personnel from the field to the hospital at Kanadahar Airfield within a five month period.