The thunder of the C-130 Hercules engine vibrates through the cabin as the aircraft lifts off of the runway. Today’s mission is different than most. Today, Australians and Americans leave pallets and passengers behind, making room to gather the wounded and bring them back home.

Affectionately called "the mercy channel," this weekly mission pairs a Royal Australian Air Force C-130J and aircrew with a U.S. Air Force medical team.

Moving more than 1,883 patients since August, these missions travel throughout Iraq and Kuwait, gathering injured servicemembers and delivering them to higher care facilities.

"The patients we carry on these missions were injured in some way, down range," said Capt. Kristie Harlow, 379th Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron flight nurse. "Our job is to get them where they need to go for treatment, while providing them the care they need."

All onboard agree that the Australian hosts, part of the Australian Defense Force’s Joint Task Force 633, provide first class accommodations for the patients and the Airmen who care for them.

"Our Australian coalition partners are fantastic," Captain Harlow said. "They help us set up the aircraft, care for the patients … anything we need. We work side by side with them and they are outstanding."

The Aussies, along with the United States and the Royal Air Force, fly C-130J aircraft in this deployed coalition environment.

Litters are stacked, bunk-bed style, in the cargo aircraft. The crew and medics wear body armor and Kevlar helmets for most of the 15-hour mission days, even while tending to patients.

Operating out of the Combined Air Operations Center in Southwest Asia, the joint RAAF and Air Force missions are seamlessly performed. Both Australian and American crewmembers find great satisfaction in helping injured servicemembers make their way home.

"This is by far the best job I could ever have," Captain Harlow said. "These men and women are out there defending our country, risking their lives every day. There’s no better feeling than giving them the care they need."

This care wouldn’t be possible without the skillful Australian aircrew in charge of maneuvering the giant flying ambulance through a war zone and back.

"Our goal is to get everyone where they need to be, safely. We control the movement of passengers and patients on and off of the aircraft, and take care of any emergency that might occur," said Sgt. Scott Copland, RAAF loadmaster. "We enjoy working on these missions. It’s important work and it builds a good foundation for us with our coalition partners."

The RAAF flies mercy missions whenever possible.

"It’s a mission we want to do," said Wing Commander Alistair Dally, commander of the RAAF forward command element here. "It’s a tangible contribution that fits well beside our national tasking commitments, and we intend to keep it up."

Commander Dally contends that carrying patients, rather than cargo, is an especially gratifying contribution.

"It’s not like moving a pallet somewhere, not ever knowing what happens to it," he said. "We are moving real people here -- people who are hurt and need to get to a hospital or to their home. It’s very satisfying to be able to provide this service."

Combining coalition forces in the effort makes it even more meaningful to the crews involved.

"It’s an honor to work with our coalition partners," Sergeant Copland said. "Showcasing our Australian spirit is important to us, and it feels even better when we are able to lend a helping hand. After all, you can always count on your mates." 

(Aero-News salutes Staff Sgt. Melissa Koskovich, US Central Command Air Forces Public Affairs)

FMI: www.af.mil