JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq -- Rain splattered on the roofs of soldier's trailers like stones Sunday morning. Huge gray clouds floated through the sky, filtering the sun’s harsh light. The cool air, darkened sky and the smell of rain were a bit ominous.

Flight medic 1st Sgt. Travis Powell, 39, with Oregon's Charlie Company planned to catch a fight home to Mollala, Ore., to marry his fiancé and enjoy his honeymoon.

Powell headed to the airport with bags in tow only to find out his flight was canceled.

Usually soldiers groan and complain, but Sunday there was only silence: The flight was reserved for a fallen soldier from Saturday night’s Blackhawk helicopter crash. 

“The flight will be dedicated to being able to bring closure to that event,” Powell said somberly.

Rewind to Saturday evening when a voice rang out over the base loudspeaker: All over Joint Base Balad, the voice ordered all medical staff and personnel to report to the hospital.

By the time the announcement had played twice, Powell was en route to the emergency room. 

Photo by Col. Charles F. DeFreest

“We haven’t had that (notification) happen since we’ve been here so I thought I’d better check things out,” said Powell.

His suspicions were confirmed as he saw Air Force soldiers jogging to the hospital. A UH-60 Blackhawk from a different unit crashed inside Balad at 8 p.m. Saturday. By the time Charlie Company's Powell reached the hospital one service member had been killed and 12 were wounded.

A military press release sent out the next morning stated, “The cause of the incident is unknown and is under investigation. More information will be released as soon as it becomes available.”

Later Monday, the Department of Defense announced Spc. Michael S. Cote Jr., 20, of Denham Springs, La., died from wounds suffered when the Blackhawk helicopter he was in crashed at Balad. Cote was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment, Task Force 49, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

Giant military hospital handles the wounded

The Air Force-run 332nd EMDG Hospital is the only level-one trauma center in country, meaning they provide the highest level of care possible, including staff and equipment.

Powell, an EMT Firefighter back home, was impressed to see the hospital handle so many patients in one facility.

“If you had this many number of patients (in the U.S.) you’d definitely split up into at least three hospitals,” Powell said.

Photo by Col. Charles F. DeFreest

The 332nd EMDG is no stranger to dealing with difficult situations. “Over the last several years it’s been the busiest ER in the entire country,” says Powell who like other flight medics, works with the hospital often when delivering patients but today was quite a different event.

Usually Powell brings his patient to the ER and leaves the rest of the care to the hospital staff.

Powell, once inside the emergency room, jumped on a trauma team with a doctor/surgeon, emergency room nurse and two technicians/medics. “Injuries were from severe, life-threatening to ambulatory,” he said.

At least five trauma teams worked on patients, assessing injuries and sending patients to the operating room. Several X-ray teams, pharmaceutical staff and extra medical help stood by just in case. 

“There were a sea of yellow gowns, at least 100 people were in there,” Powell said.

Photo by Col. Charles F. DeFreest
 
Flight medic Spc. Matt Mohr, 28, of Silverton, Ore., was lying in bed when he heard the loudspeaker go off.

When he arrived the emergency room was full of patients, but by that time he was assigned to a trauma team all the patients had been assessed. So he stood by admiring how skillfully the hospital handled the situation.

“Chaos is what a multiple-casualty incident brings about, and this was very organized chaos,” Powell said.

Cali Bagby is embedded with the Oregon Army National Guard from Charlie Company, 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation, a Medevac Unit based out of Salem, Ore., for KVAL.com. Her work has been published in the Washington Post and the Eugene Weekly.
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