DUSTOFFer Newsletter

Author: LTC (R) Chris Wingate Read the article HERE.

Photo taken as DUSTOFF rescues mountain climbers from 14000 foot peak - Colorado.

An interesting training collaboration between Cajun DUSOTFF and the Installation's MP Company - Read about it HERE

Author: Master Sgt. Joseph Stringer Beginning in 2011, a flurry of reports and studies from Army Medical Department research teams flooded the military medical journals. Evidence pointed to a clear correlation between the medical credentialing levels of Army flight medics and the long-term survival outcomes of combat trauma patients in Afghanistan and Iraq theaters. Col. (Ret.) Robert Mabry et al. published the most influential of these studies in 2012 demonstrating that emp

Author: COL Nate Forrester DUSTOFF Family, Greetings from the Center of the Universe, Fort Liberty, NC (formerly Fort Bragg). Our team continues to make great strides across each of our five primary lines of effort, not without challenges, but I’ll try to provide a quick update on a few of our objectives. Recruit and Retain Talent: We received a total of 28x flight school packets this year allowing us to select the top tiered from across USMA, ROTC, and the active force filli

15th Medical Battalion "War Stories" submitted this "initiation" story for publication. We invite you to learn about this band of brothers on their website. https://15thmedbnassociation.org/war-stories/medevac-war-stories.aspx And this one, too: https://15thmedbnassociation.org/war-stories/medevac-war-stories5.aspx#The%20Medevac%20Standby%20and%20the%20LAW

The opening day of every critical care flight paramedic class sees the DUSTOFF Documentary "When I Have Your Wounded - the DUSTOFF Legacy" shown as an opening class. Nearly every class since the beginning of official training as paramedics has seen this event. Class 251 hosted SGM Retired Jeff Mankoff, former President of the DUSTOFF Association and flight medic himself. These new DUSTOFF Flight Medics begin their journey at the Medical Department Center of Excellence and wi

Story by Erin Perez, U.S. Army Medical Center of Excellence JBSA-FORT SAM HOUSTON, TEXAS—On Sept. 26, 2024, President Joe Biden signed the “Dustoff Crews of the Vietnam War Congressional Gold Medal Act” into law. This gold medal recognizes all the pilots, crew chiefs and medics who “served honorably during the Vietnam War aboard helicopter air ambulances.” U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (TX) and retired Maj. Gen. Patrick Brady, a Medal of Honor recipient and former Vietnam Dustoff pil

Author: COL Retired Jack Leech This is an abbreviated report as the FY ends 31 December 2024. Our corporate sponsor donations for the year are at $25,500. We have profited $5,323 through Printful, our online store. We have collected $6,650 through Stripe, where approximately $1,550 is for memberships and the remaining $5,100 is for the Summit in DC this May 2025. Please note we are trying to reduce the costs of the Summit, particularly with the meals to make this epic eve

Author: COL Retired Doug Moore. Member DUSTOFF Hall of Fame and Army Aviation Hall of Fame One mission that caused me quite a bit of concern occurred in the early spring of 1965. Lieutenant Mike Trader and I were flying together and received a call that a U.S. soldier had been wounded near the Cambodian border and the instructions were for us to land at the Moc Hoa Special Forces camp to pick-up an American guide. Those instructions seemed a little strange because we usually

Author: Vince Cedola, LTC, MSC Retired DUSTOFF 22 - 82nd MDHA - 1964-54 DUSTOFF 506 - 571st MDHA 1967-68 A Dustoff Team is comprised of Pilots, Medics, Crew Chiefs, Mechanics, Supply, Radio, and Admin Techs, all volunteers,in support of the Medical Evacuation Mission. Begin with one DUSTOFF helicopter crew of two pilots, one crew chief, one medic and often, one patient protector. They run out to their O.D. colored helicopter that has large white, red-cross targets painted on

Author: LTC Retired Vince Cedola - Member DUSTOFF Hall of Fame My last day in Vietnam Major Vince Cedola, CO, 571st Med Det (Helicopter Ambulance) DUSTOFF and Major Dave Dryden XO, are waiting at Phu Bai, RVN for the Group Commander to participate at the change of command ceremony today. It is Vince’s last day in Vietnam after his second tour and Dave will assume command. The Colonel MD arrives and joins them. He has a stern look on his face. He asks, “What am I going to

Author: Major Zach Mitchell Greetings from HQDA G-3/5/7, DAMO-AV. I’m excited and honored to be part of this amazing community of DUSTOFF leaders whether past or present. This Office is dedicated in serving as the lead modernization integrator across the Aviation and Medical Enterprise to ensure we deliver the very best to our Soldiers. Continuous Transformation is necessary to adapt to and overcome present and future challenges our adversaries present. Upon appointment as th

Author: COL Retired Enrique Ortiz The DUSTOFF Association is on the verge of a historic achievement: the creation of its first strategic plan, the DUSTOFF Association Strategy 2035. Now over 80% complete and set for unveiling at the 2025 DUSTOFF Reunion, this visionary roadmap aims to establish the association as a nationally recognized and influential voice within the U.S. military aeromedical evacuation community. The strategy envisions a future where DUSTOFF’s legacy of se

Author: Major Suzanne Palmer The Medical Evacuation Concepts & Capabilities Division (MECCD) continues to drive capability development and integration within the Medical Evacuation, Medical, and Aviation community. MECCD is making great strides in the future fight by completing updated MEDEVAC fleet analysis, inputs to FLRAA development and training, Multi-Mission Vehicle Interface (MMVI), and fighting for the development of Protected Wheeled Ambulance (PWA). Vietnam DUSTOFF

Dear DUSTOFF Family, What an incredible year it has been! Since our last update, we’ve made historic strides together and have so much to celebrate. Here’s the latest news to bring you up to speed on our progress and exciting upcoming events. On September 26, 2024, history was made as the DUSTOFF Crews of Vietnam Congressional Gold Medal Act was signed into law. This monumental achievement honors the extraordinary bravery and sacrifice of our Vietnam DUSTOFF crews, who embodi

Hello, fellow DUSTOFFers! What a momentous year it has been for the DUSTOFF Association and especially for all DUSTOFF Veterans who courageously served during the Vietnam War. On September 26th, 2024, the DUSTOFF Crews of Vietnam Congressional Gold Medal Act was signed into law. This is the highest civilian honor Congress can bestow on an individual or organization, which shows how significant an impact our Vietnam DUSTOFF crew members made during the Vietnam War, rescuing ov

Congratulations to our most recent DUSTOFF pilots who graduated from flight school on February 8th! This particular flight school class had five 67J DUSTOFF pilots, of which two were honor graduates - 1LT Suppiah, Jacob -Distinguished Honor Grad and 1LT Schirner, Joshua- Honor Grad. Four of these 67Js are COMPO 1 and one was COMPO 2. Left to Right (COMPO 1):1LT Bowles, Alexandra, 1LT Suppiah, Jacob, 1LT Schriner, Joshua, 1LT Talalotou, Justin and 1LT Abeln, Zachary (COMPO 2)

COL Sam Fricks Well, 2023 has been a heck of a year. It has also been challenging, rewarding, and quite frankly, a bit frustrating, especially here near the end. The best thing about MECCD, are the people. This year, LTC Audrey Boenker left us, as she set out for her BN Command of the 121st Field Hospital. MAJ Suzannah Palmer recently assumed the role of the deputy chief, and she is coming to us fresh from Fort Bliss, where she served as the GSAB XO. We also gained SFC Justin

Hello from the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia)! We are just past half-way to next year’s Reunion, and what a great year it has been. The new crop of leaders is anything but new, with most involved in the DUSTOFF Association for more than 20 years! I’m honored to serve as the President. I’m thrilled about the future of our Association and the strategy to get there. After celebrating Dan and Suzie Gower’s retirement at the last reunion and taking on the role of President, it becam