Airlift Capable 24/7: 459 AS, 374 HCOS demonstrate aeromedical readiness on Independence Day

Story by Senior Airman Jacob Wood

374th Airlift Wing

Emergency situations can arise when least expected. With a sprawling mission set and thousands of community members, Team Yokota has a special capability to ensure prompt and proper care during these critical moments. The teams responsible for this care must remain prepared to respond to any situation at a moment’s notice, even on holidays like Independence Day.
On July 4, Airmen assigned to the 459th Airlift Squadron and 374th Healthcare Operations Squadron demonstrated these capabilities to coordinate and perform the aeromedical transfer of a service member from Yokota Air Base to Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, for treatment.

U.S. Air Force Capt. Omar Vargas, 374th HCOS emergency services flight commander and the emergency trauma nurse for the flight, was one of several key members providing rapid response and care to the patient.
“On these transports, the nurse is responsible for the assessment, treatment and stability of the patient’s condition, as well as ensuring the patient’s comfort through the transport process,” said Vargas. “As the sole active-duty emergency trauma nurse assigned to Yokota, my experience has proven to me that prompt proper treatment is essential for excellent patient outcomes.

“This case was no different,” he emphasized. “The patient needed a quick intervention and our whole team aligned to get the patient care he needed.”

Yokosuka Naval Station is more than two hours from Yokota Air Base by ambulance depending on traffic conditions. By air, the time is reduced to 25 minutes, affording patients critical care within a shorter time frame.
This most recent aeromedical transfer proved to be a record for the combined medical and airlift team, with the fastest alert-to-airborne timeline thus far.

“We are required to show up at the 459th AS within 30 minutes from the time we are notified and from there we need to be ready to fly within the hour,” said Senior Airman Kayli Rodriguez, 459th AS flight engineer. “This time, we were at the ramp ready to transport the patient in under 40 minutes from the time of the alert.”

The 459th AS officially stood up the 24/7 response capability in December 2023 and have completed three aeromedical transfers since.

“The first of the transfers occurred less than two weeks after the initial standup, with the second following roughly a month later,”said Capt. Jacob Taylor, 459th command executive and co-pilot during the transfer. “Thankfully, we have not had any situations between the time since, but since the standup of this new capability, we have had our personnel on alert 24/7 and ready to respond.”

The 459th AS and 374th HCOS are committed to ensuring service members and their families receive the proper care needed. Day or night, the medics and airlifters of Yokota work together to maintain its most important asset – people.