Travis' ASF Airmen tend to wounded warriors

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Matt McGovern
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  More than 2,500 U.S. military members wounded in Afghanistan and Iraq passed through Travis to receive aid from the 60th Aeromedical Staging Flight at David Grant USAF Medical Center.

Some stay for minutes on the flightline to change flights, others stay for days in the unit's 38-bed ward inside the medical center before relocating to hospitals and bases in the states.

On the ward, Airmen settle patients into rooms, check vital signs and provide medications and around the clock care.

"We do what we can to make them comfortable and thank them for their service because they've sacrificed much," said Capt. Neftali Cabezudo, 60th Aerospace Medicine Squadron registered nurse.

The arriving patient's injuries vary from minor to severe.
"We see many types of injuries, from severe head injuries to completely physically handicapped to patients that are almost fully recovered," said Captain Cabezudo.

One of the patients, Army Sgt. Rudy Saavedra, is hoping to gain full use of his legs.

On Aug. 28, he was on a road in central Iraq where he and his team were surveying for snipers. It was his turn to hurry from a protected position to his Humvee and slip into the vehicles gun turret.

"I felt the impact before I heard the shot," said Army Sergeant Rudy Saavedra. "All of a sudden I'm seeing sky, ground, sky, ground, sky, ground."
"That was a bullet," said Sergeant Saavedra, recalling the moment he knew he was shot by a sniper. "Everything just comes to you; you see everything perfectly."
The bullet passed through his torso and pelvis, damaging lower vertebrae and nerves to his legs.

Sergeant Saavedra had regained slight control of his upper thighs and hopes to walk again in a year. He wants to ride the motorcycle he promised himself in Iraq.

"I could be that bitter soldier that people hate to work with, or I could be optimistic," said Sergeant Saavedra. "Anything and everything that can get me walking again, I want to try."

While the ASF Airmen are encouraging Soldiers like Sergeant Saavedra, they also listen to their stories.

"I've heard plenty of interesting stories - It's nice to know I'm in the position to help them," said Airmen 1st Class Lauren Sullivan, 60th AMDS aerospace medical service apprentice.

"I know it could be me, so I like to treat them the way I would want to be treated - with respect," she added.