c. Air Ambulance Platoons. The cardinal element of the air ambulance
company is the air ambulance platoon. There are four of these platoons. Each of the
platoons consists of a platoon leader, two section leaders, nine evacuation pilots, one
platoon sergeant, six air ambulance aidmen, six crew chiefs, and one voice radio
operator. Each platoon is authorized six UH-60A helicopters and is capable of
independent operations in the forward combat area for short periods. When the platoon
operates away from its parent company, it requires limited administrative support from
the supported unit. When operating in this manner, the platoon leader--a captain,
Medical Service Corps--is responsible for missions, training, discipline, and
maintenance of the helicopters. Each helicopter has an assigned crew consisting of a
crew chief, two pilots, and an air ambulance aidman. All are proficient in emergency
medical treatment. Although each air ambulance has a capacity for six litter patients or
nine ambulatory patients (UH-l) or 4 litter and 7 ambulatory (UH60A), the combat load is
three litter and four ambulatory patients.
d. Service Platoon. The service platoon consists of the platoon headquarters,
a motor maintenance section, an organizational aircraft maintenance section, and a
direct support aircraft maintenance section. The maintenance sections are organized
and equipped so that they are capable of being attached to one of the air ambulance
platoons to provide organizational maintenance when the platoon is operating away
from the company. The platoon has the capability of performing direct support
maintenance on the helicopters.
7-11. EMPLOYMENT OF THE AIR AMBULANCE COMPANY
a. Aeromedical evacuation with the combat zone is provided by AMEDD units
that operate under the overall direction of the commander of the corps medical
brigade/group, who may place the unit under the command and control of a subordinate
medical headquarters. The air ambulance company usually operates under mission-
type orders that assign it the role of supporting a corps. The company commander
provides detailed direction of his unit's operations and at the same time acts as staff
advisor to the parent medical headquarters in matters pertaining to aeromedical
operations.
b. Individual evacuation mission requests are processed through medical
communications channels for approval. Mission control is retained by the medical
headquarters to which the air ambulance company is subordinate. Requests are
forwarded for approval to the company headquarters or directly to the air ambulance
platoons (with monitorship by company headquarters), as the individual situation
dictates. The present concept is to have two pilots in each aircraft for evacuation
missions. The other two-crew members are the crew chief and the air ambulance
aidman. The air ambulance may be diverted in flight to perform a contingent mission,
such as delivery of whole blood and/or critical medical supplies.
c. An air ambulance company may be reinforced by attaching helicopter
ambulance detachments, learn RA, TOE 8-660 (not exceeding four per company), to
the air ambulance company for operational control.
MD0002
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