Mon, Aug 30, 2010
DC Guard Unit First To Deploy With MEDEVAC-Equipped UH-72
The 121st Medical Company (Air Ambulance) of the District of
Columbia National Guard recently became the first unit to perform a
medical evacuation mission using the UH-72 Lakota helicopter in
Hohenfels, Germany on August 10th.
121st Medical Company With UH-72 Lakota
The 121st was the first unit equipped with the MEDEVAC
configuration of the Lakota helicopter to deploy overseas when it
arrived in Germany last month. "The mission of the unit during its
yearlong deployment is to provide MEDEVAC standby for units
training in the region, many of them prior to their deployment to
Iraq or Afghanistan," said Lt. Col. Maureen Bellamy, the state Army
aviation officer for the D.C. Guard.
The 121st has been working hard since its arrival in Germany,
said Maj. Mark Escherich, the unit commander. "We have completed
notional MEDEVAC response for units validating for combat
operations, 9-Line MEDEVAC training, MEDEVAC litter loading and
unloading and helicopter safety for the Army, Air Force, Marine
Corps and the Georgian military," he said.
File Photo
The company is covering MEDEVAC operations at both Hohenfels,
which is home to the Joint Multinational Readiness Center and
Grafenwoehr, which is home to the Joint Multinational Training
Center. They are almost two hours apart by car and 20 minutes by
helicopter. Last year, the 121st became the first organization in
the nation to receive the UH-72 configured for MEDEVAC missions.
The aircraft replaced the UH-1 "Huey," a Vietnam vintage helicopter
flown by the 121st, which is stationed at Davison Army Airfield
near Fort Belvoir, VA.
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