As an office manager for the women’s health and pediatric clinic at Tinker Air Force Base, Sunny Schones greets and assists patients in the 72nd Medical Group, Bldg. 1094.
However, come time for training for those responding to a car or plane crash, triage or the twice-yearly base active shooter training, Schones spends hours meticulously transforming healthy individuals into seemingly severely injured ones.
Trained in moulage makeup through a military course she took 20 years ago, Schones said she is passionate about helping in the exercises to make it more real for first responders.
Word of Schones’ work has traveled beyond the gates of Tinker AFB, as she assists with moulage for EMT or firefighter training in Oklahoma City, Lawton and Tulsa.
What if it was one of the three kids she has in the military, and they were really hurt? Everyone should be prepared.
“I feel like I need to give myself, because (my kids) are giving themselves,” she said.
Before an exercise, she receives information about the incident and number of ‘victims,’ studying pictures of how the wounds might look.
Then, she carefully plans the moulage makeup, mixing colors to make it look realistic.
A multi-step process, sometimes she prepares wounds the night before.
“You get jitters anyway before you start because you’re just constantly thinking what you’re going to be doing (and) the scenario and in the back of your head the injuries you need to prepare,” Schones said.
Additionally, Schones talks with the actors while applying makeup and throughout the exercise, offering acting tips.
While preparing for an active shooter training in Bldg. 1094 on Aug. 15, she applied fake blood to what would be a bullet wound in a young woman’s knee.
“You can’t walk,” she said.
During the training, Schones called out to her, reminding her to limp as a member of the 72nd Security Forces Squadron escorted the actress out of the building.