Members of a U.S. Air Force special operations surgical team that’s based at UAB Hospital in Birmingham were recently awarded Bronze Stars for their service during a mission to an undisclosed location in 2016.
The small team of active duty doctors and nurses treated 750 patients, responded to 19 mass-casualty events, conducted 16 life-saving surgeries, and treated victims of a chemical weapons attack, according to a news release.
The airmen were featured Saturday’s broadcast of NBC Nightly News (video below).
A special arrangement between UAB Hospital and the Air Force allows active duty medical officers to serve in the facility’s level one trauma center when not deployed, handling emergency room and surgical cases. In return, the airmen gain valuable experience treating injuries that are often seen during combat operations – gunshots, stabbings and serious vehicle accidents.
“Military hospitals in the states typically don’t see a lot of trauma,” said Dr. Jeffrey Kerby, a director of surgery at UAB, in a news release. “For a medical team to keep their skills sharp, they need a more challenging environment.”
For their efforts during the deployment, the following airmen who work at UAB received Bronze Stars, the fourth highest honor the military and bestow upon a service member:
— Lt. Col. Ben Mitchell
— Lt. Col. Matthew Uber
— Maj. Justin Manley
— Maj. Jonathan Chin
— Maj. Nelson Pacheco
— Capt. Cade Reedy.
— Technical Sgt. Richard Holguin
Here’s the video, courtesy NBC Nightly News:
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