First MEDEVAC for Joint U.S., Afghan Crew

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Richard Kramer and Afghan Sgt. 1st Class Ghulam Sakhi, flight medics with the 438th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group/Combined Air Power Transition Force, discuss with an Afghan soldier through Shakira Azzizi, an Afghan translator, what is going to happen on a rotary wing medical evacuation from Bagram Airfield Feb. 3, 2010.

This rotary wing medevac is the first of its kind in Afghanistan, where a combined Afghan and U.S. crew takes Afghans from coalition medical facilities and returns them to Afghan facilities. Photo: Tech. Sgt. Jeromy Cross.

Afghan Sgt. 1st Class Ghulam Sakhi, flight medic with the 438th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group/Combined Air Power Transition Force, looks after an injured Afghan soldier on a Mi-17 used for rotary wing medical evacuation missions Feb. 3, 2010. Photo: Tech. Sgt. Jeromy Cross.

A joint U.S. Air Force and Afghan National Army crew from the 438th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group/Combined Air Power Transition Force, pilots a Mi-17 used for rotary wing medical evacuation missions, Feb. 3, 2010. Photo: Tech. Sgt. Jeromy Cross.

An Afghan solider with the 438th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group/Combined Air Power Transition Force, serves as the door gunner on a Mi-17 used for rotary wing medical evacuation missions, Feb. 3, 2010.
Photo: Tech. Sgt. Jeromy Cross.

Two Mi-17s used for rotary wing medical evacuation missions sit on a snowy helicopter pad in Gardez, Afghanistan, Feb. 3, 2010. Photo: Tech. Sgt. Jeromy Cross.