New 34th AES commander excited to join 302nd AW

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. David D. Morton
  • 302nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. --  If enthusiasm for the job and boundless energy are required criteria for building
a winning team from scratch, the 34th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron should
be off to a good start. 

That's the message Lt. Col. Kathleen Flarity, newly appointed 34th AES commander, would like to convey to the 31 officers and 42 enlisted members who will make up the new unit. 

The squadron will officially become part of the 302nd Airlift Wing April 6th.
Colonel Flarity will assume command of a unit whose primary mission is transporting
critically ill and injured patients from highrisk threat areas to various echelon care
environments. 

"Aeromedical evacuation is always a mission I can support, regardless of where
our troops are, or why we are there, we are caring for wounded warriors," said
the colonel.  "I have cared for countless wounded soldiers, Marines and Airmen,
with devastating physical and mental injuries, and I am humbled by that
experience. Aeromedical evacuation is truly the most rewarding and challenging
job I've ever done." 

And she's done a lot during a military career that began in 1980 with the active
duty Army as a combat medical corpsman where she served three years. She then
joined the Army Reserves while attending Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and
receiving her commission in 1988. 

Colonel Flarity's experiences include serving in Riyad, Saudi Arabia during Desert Storm/Shield where she helped take care of coalition forces and wounded
Iraqi soldiers, an aeromedical evacuation deployment in support of Operations
Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. In addition, she served as an air evacuation
liaison to the Air Force Deputy Surgeon General in Washington, D.C. 

That experience combined with a vast medical background includes two master's
degrees in critical care, and a doctorate in education all of which seemingly has
prepared her for the command opportunity she's about to accept. 

"The opportunity to grow and develop the personality of an aeromedical evacuation
squadron is exciting," said Colonel Flarity.  "We're really excited to be here at Peterson
Air Force Base and thrilled and honored to be part of the 302nd AW." 

The mission of the new squadron requires a team of at least five personnel to be able
to deploy at any given time on any type of military aircraft that can be converted to
transport medical patients. 

Aeromedical evacuation teams typically consist of two nurses and three medical
technicians with one of the nurses in charge of the mission. There are three active duty
and 17 Reserve and Air National Guard aeromedical evacuation squadrons in the
Air Force. Aeromedical evacuation flight crews are now universally qualified and
familiarized to operate on various types of aircraft within the Air Force inventory.
 
"Eighty-eight percent of all aeromedical missions are conducted by the Reserve
and Air Guard," said Colonel Flarity. "Our equipment is portable. That's important
when you may have to respond within one to three hours depending on the mission." 

An alpha alert calls for aeromedical personnel to be able to respond within one
hour once alerted to a mission. Bravo alerts must take place within a three-hour time
period. 

"The Air Reserve Technicians I've hired for the new squadron are stellar and bring a
lot to the table in regards to knowledge and aeromedical evacuation skills, said Colonel
Flarity. "I can't wait until they get here. I'm a believer in collective wisdom. We strive
to be the best aeromedical evacuation squadron in the Air Force." 

The 20th Airlift Squadron is also scheduled to join the 302nd Operations Group later this year as an active duty associate unit. 

"The 34th AES will be the first of the two squadrons we anticipate joining this year," said Col. Karl Schmitkons, 302nd Operations Group commander. "We're looking forward to the challenge of getting them up and running."