Company C, 3rd General Support Aviation Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, is the only medevac company in Afghanistan. Divided into four platoons, the "All American Dustoff" company is based at forward operations bases in the eastern and southern portions of Afghanistan.
When ever the call goes out, it comes to them.
They've hoisted wounded soldiers using a winch in the helicopter and braved enemy fire several times. The pilots, medics and crew chiefs have a single minded mentality... save the patient.
I watched Wednesday as 1st Sgt. Dean Bissey rotated between two patients -- a contractor that fell 12 feet off a ladder and an Afghan that was shot in the leg. Kneeling in the back of the Black Hawk, he hovered over both checking vital signs. He finally left their side when they got to the ER in Bagram.
A Special Forces medic told me once that soldiers will fight hard if they know medical care is close by. I think Dustoff proves this point. The paratroopers fighting in Afghanistan know that no matter what, the pilots, medics and crew chiefs in Company C are coming to get them.
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