KIRKUK, Iraq, -- It is hard to believe it was four years ago that I was sitting at Freedom Air Base in Kirkuk, Iraq as the Expeditionary Medical Squadron commander, and now I'm here again. Much of the experience is the same, but the facilities and hostilities have certainly changed...for the better. The 72nd Medical Group has many contingency requirements and one of those is a command element that includes a commander, health services administrator, first sergeant, medical administration and biomedical equipment repair technicians. We also have one of our pharmacists with us to support a tasking from another medical group that was unable to fill their tasking.

As the commander of the 506th EMEDS, I could not be prouder of the 44 medical personnel that make up the 10 bed expeditionary hospital responsible for care and support of 5,000 personnel. Early in our rotation we received a large number of wounded coalition forces as a result of a vehicle borne improvised explosive device. On very short notice, the EMEDS staff responded to 15 wounded, some critically, both soldiers and local nationals. All of the critically wounded were treated, some with life saving surgeries, and then lifted off by Army Blackhawk helicopters to our Air Force theater hospital in Balad, Iraq...all within six hours and all survived. Wow!

I can only hope that our fellow Airmen and warriors from our sister services and their family members know that we will do whatever it takes to give the best care for their fellow warriors and family members. It is indeed incredible to me to see the amount of resources that we expend to save lives in the cause of freedom. We provide that care to whoever arrives at our EMEDS regardless of their service, nationality, friend or foe.

Our motto is, "Caring of America's Heroes" and I'm privileged and proud to be part
of that legacy.