Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Perspective: Elite medical team rescues troops behind enemy lines


As a member of the U.S. Air Force's elite Combat Search and Rescue team, "Dan," a pararescueman, or PJ, is used to saving the lives of fellow U.S. and coalition troops in battlefield situations. But last month, he was the one in need of rescue.

During a mission in southeastern Afghanistan, he was critically injured in a Chinook helicopter crash that killed eight service members, including U.S. Army Rangers and a fellow pararescueman. Before losing consciousness, Dan managed to give a medical assessment to a rescue team in another location.

As he lay in a hospital bed at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, recovering from the injuries he suffered in Afghanistan, Dan said he couldn't wait to get back to his unit.

Read the rest at CNN