In an article originally published in the New York Times, journalist C.J. Chivers reports from the front lines in Afghanistan about the daily work of military flight medics. It’s a well-written and heart-wrenching story that illuminates the dangers faced by those called upon to save the lives of our soldiers.
Chivers provides a sobering reminder that the draw-down of our troops in Iraq only means that the location of the fighting, the deaths and the devastating injuries is moving to Afghanistan–and along with it, the military trauma system. The pilots, flight medics, nurses, surgeons and others who constitute the military trauma system confront enormous challenges, face death daily, and save lives under extreme conditions. We all owe them a debt of gratitude.