Alpha Company Special Forces Group (A) - Iraq

Paratroopers armed with machine guns, mortars and grenades were not the only U.S. Army soldiers who parachuted onto Bashur Airfield in Northern Iraq with the 173^rd Airborne Brigade on the evening of March 26, 2003.  Nine paratrooper-surgeons and medics from the 250th Forward Surgical Team (FST), based in Fort Lewis, Washington, also jumped with the 173^rd’s assault troops to perform life-saving trauma surgical procedures on any paratroopers who sustained combat injuries.  Two Humvee cargo trucks loaded with an operating table, an O.R. tent, a generator, and enough supplies to perform 10 resuscitative procedures were pushed out of aircraft and parachuted to the drop zone ahead of the jumpers. This was critical in order for the surgical team to unload and set up to perform forward resuscitative surgery.

This was also the first time that a forward surgical team parachuted into combat since World War II.

Nine paratrooper-surgeons from the 250th Forward Surgical Team (FST), based in Fort Lewis, Washington

U.S. Army Paratroopers with the 173^rd Airborne Brigade preparing to parachute onto Bashur Airfield in Northern Iraq on the evening of March 26, 2003. Accompanied by nine paratrooper-surgeons and medics from the 250th Forward Surgical Team (FST), based in Fort Lewis, Washington.

 The Commander of the 250^th FST, is Colonel Harry Stinger, MD, FACS.

Lt. Col. Robert Rush, M.D.- graduated from the Uniformed Services University Medical School (USUHS) in Bethesda, Marylandand and completed his General Surgical Training at Ohio State University Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio.

Lt. Col. John Devine, M.D. - completed his Orthopedic Residency at Madigan Army Medical Center at Fort Lewis, Washington (located about 40 minutes south of Seattle).

Colonel Harry Stinger, MD, FACS - received his M.D. Degree from the Uniformed Services University Medical School (USUHS) in Bethesda, Maryland in 1985 and completed his Surgical Residency at Boston University Medical Center in 1995.  Dr. Stinger, who joined the Army at age 22, volunteered for Army Airborne or “Jump” School while a first-year medical student at USUHS.

Lt. Col. Benjamin Starnes, M.D. - a graduate of Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, PA, is an A.C.S. Associate Fellow and Vascular Surgeon who completed his surgical training at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

The 250th Forward Surgical Team (FST), based in Fort Lewis, Washington.

The Forward Surgical Team consists of 20 personnel: 4 surgeons, 5 nurses, a medical operations officer and 10 enlisted medics who specialize not only in trauma surgical procedures but also in the pre- and post-operative care of combat casualties.  All surgeons and nurses are Board-certified by their respective U.S. Medical Specialty Board and employ state-of-the-art equipment and techniques to provide the best Trauma Surgical care to U.S. troops who happen to be injured in the line of duty.

Capt. Hann, Col. Stinger, Lt. Col. Rush and Lt. Col. Devine

Medics from the 250th Forward Surgical Team (FST), based in Fort Lewis, Washington

Guard Duty for the 250th Forward Surgical Team (FST) at Bashur Airfield, Iraq

Deployable Rapid Assembly Shelters (or DRASH tents) in use  (field operating rooms)

Col. Stinger and other Surgeons performing surgery

No explanation needed

Slick, Dye, Miller and Ferg      437th  SFS/SFOA   "Phoenix Raven" 2003

Miller   437th  SFS/SFOA  "Phoenix Raven" 2003

437th Security Forces Squadron  "Phoenix Raven" 2003

D/2-504 PIR Officers - Afghanistan  Nov-2002

Captain John Miller and "Associates"

D/2 - 504, SAW Operator, Tarnak Farms, Afghanistan  2002

D/2 - 504,  .50 caliber in operation (muzzle blast clearing dust on hood), Tarnak Farms, Afghanistan  2002

D/2 - 504,  Cordon and Search Mission,  Spch Kalay, Afghanistan   Nov - 2002

C-17 Jump,  82nd Airborne

D/2 - 504,  PIR convoy near Kandahar, Afghanistan  Oct - 2002