Travis Tailwind: April 10, 2026

TRAVIS TAILWIND

CHASE MISSION

Nursing fair helps Golden Bear Medics sharpen skills

through

respond effectively to medical emergencies, both at home and in

deployed environments.

Originating from an identified need by frontline nursing staff to maintain proficiency across both clinical and non-clinical roles, the event was developed internally to build confidence and competence.

“The goal is to provide a supportive environment where staff can refresh their skills and gain handson experience without the pressure of a real-world emergency,” U.S. Air Force

Capt. Katie Larkin, a 60th Inpatient Squadron clinical nurse and one of the event organizers, said in an article that first appeared for the Defense Visual Information Distribution Services. “It helps ensure our team is ready when it matters most.”

Throughout the fair, participants rotated through multiple stations covering core competencies such as

See Golden, Page 2

RobeRT H ammeR MHS COMMUNICATIONS

FALLS CHURCH, Va. — As the first surgeon general of the U.S. Air Force, Maj. Gen. Malcolm C. Grow charted a course that defined modern military medicine for future airmen. His leadership and innovation built the foundation of the Air Force Medical Service, and the Malcolm Grow Medical Clinics and Surgery Center honors his namesake by delivering exceptional military health care today. Grow had already proven himself as a physician, researcher, and leader long before the U.S. Air Force became a separate military department in 1947. During World War I and World War II, he saw firsthand the unique physical and psychological stresses flight crews faced – shaping his belief, and dedication to ensuring medicine meets warfighters where they serve, whether air, land, or sea.

‘Sudden decision’ led to a military career

After graduating from Jefferson Medical School in 1909, Grow began to establish himself as a physician in Philadelphia – but he yearned for more. In the 1910s, a discussion with friend Dr. Edward Egbert, chief surgeon of an American Red Cross hospital in what is present day Ukraine, led Grow to seek a medical commission to support the World War I-era Russian Army, allied with France and Great Britain, where qualified doctors were needed. Egbert told him that by joining the fight, “you will gain experience in surgery in a few months that you could not get otherwise in years and years of private practice,” Grow recounted in his biographical writing. “I made a sudden decision. I resolved to go to Russia.”

Then in February 1917, he was appointed a captain in the U.S. Army’s Medical Reserve and served in the American Expeditionary Forces in Europe in 1918-19. He was commissioned into the Regular Army Medical Corps in 1920. He later served as chief flight surgeon for the Army Air Corps from 1934 to 1939.

During this time, in 1935, Grow cofounded See Grow, Page 3

Travis BX celebrates military kids with free Make It Real event

FORCE

BASE — Let your creativity run wild at the Travis Exchange on April 11 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. during the Make It Real event as part of the Exchange’s Month of the Military Child free, instore event series.

Military kids can create their own beaded bracelets using Make It Real kits –simple, colorful keepsakes to remember a month dedicated to them, while supplies last.

“Growing up in a military family often means

navigating experiences that shape a child’s imagination in powerful ways,” said Travis Exchange General Manager Cathie Byrns. “This event gives them a space to express that creativity and be celebrated for it.”

Preregistration is not required. For more information, shoppers can contact the Travis Exchange or visit the Travis Exchange’s social media pages. Military families can visit the Exchange’s community Hub for information on Month of the Military Child celebrations throughout April.

Roderick

the 60th

Travis welcomes airmen home

Air Force file Registered

and the

during a hands-on training station at a medical skills fair at David Grant USAF Medical Center, Travis AFB, March 23.

patient assessment, airway management, intravenous access, and wound care. This training directly supports individual deployment readiness and aligns with the Defense Health Agency’s Comprehensive Medical Readiness Program, which ensures a medically ready force.

The event also fostered collaboration and knowledge sharing among the

multidisciplinary teams. Subject matter experts were on hand to guide participants, answer questions, and refine tech niques, strengthening the overall clinical capability of the 60th Medical Group. By investing in practical training opportunities like the skills fair, the DGMC nursing team is reinforcing a culture of continuous learning and demonstrating their commitment to providing world-class patient care and supporting mission readiness across the Military Health System.

Travis Exchange celebrates the strength of military kids for Purple Up Day on Saturday

TRAVIS TAILWIND

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TRAVIS AIR FORCE

BASE — The Travis Exchange is going purple for Purple Up Day.

On April 11 at 11:30 a.m., the BX will be hosting a Purple Up scavenger hunt, a hands-on crafting event with Make It Real bracelet kits and giving away goodie bags including a free certificate of appreciation and a military brat patch.

Purple Up Day, typically observed annually on April 15 by wearing purple, was established by the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension Military Youth and Family program to honor military children for each branch.

Since then, organizations and governmental agencies have adopted the observance to provide the children of our nation’s heroes with a specialized day of support globally.

“The Travis Exchange stands in solidarity with the courageous and self-

less children who come through our stores each day,” said Travis Exchange General Manager Cathie Byrns. “The sacrifices asked of them are unique, and the experiences they navigate are unlike those faced by any other group.”

Preregistration for events is not required. Military families can contact the Travis Exchange, visit the community Hub or follow Travis Exchange Facebook for more information regarding events.

From Page 1

with Harry G. Armstrong the Physiological Research Unit at Wright Field in Ohio. The laboratory became the U.S. Air Force’s leading center for creating tools to address aviation health risks.

Spearheading protective innovations for unique challenges

As flight surgeon of the famed Alaskan Flight in 1934, Grow provided crucial medical care to members of the mission. The historic flight, covering 8,290 miles round-trip from Bolling Field in Washington, D.C., to Fairbanks, Alaska, had three primary objectives: to demonstrate the feasibility of deploying air forces to Alaska in times of need; to photograph landing sites suitable for frontier defense; and to test the possibilities of rapid and large-scale photomapping of terrain. The flight proved that Air Corps pilots, under the supervision of medical personnel, could navigate over long distances.

During World War II, Grow oversaw treatment of service members injured in air combat – confronting the unique dangers of aerial warfare – and helped design gear to save lives. As the Eighth Air Force Surgeon (1942-44) and the U.S. Strategic Air Forces in Europe Surgeon (1944-45), Grow saw crews suffering frostbite, oxygen loss, and severe injuries at high altitudes. He worked with engineers to design and procure heated clothing and body armor, innovations that saved countless lives.

Honored for dedication to airmen’s health and readiness

In July 1943, he was awarded the Legion of Merit for his work developing body armor for combat flight crews. In May 1944, he received the Distinguished Service Medal for innovations in flight crew protective devices and psychiatric support for combat airmen.

When the U.S. Air Force officially established in 1947, Grow argued that its medical service must do the same. “Air medicine must be built around the mission of airpower,” he wrote. His conviction

helped establish the Air Force Medical Service, and he became the first surgeon general of the U.S. Air Force where he advocated for a medical structure oriented to the unique needs of air warfare.

Grow retired from service with the rank of major general on Nov. 30, 1949.

Malcolm Grow Medical Clinics and Surgery Center at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, honors his legacy by caring for service members, families, and retirees from across the National Capital Region, and supports readiness across the U.S. Air Force’s global mission – a mission grounded in Grow’s imprint.

The center features an en route patient staging facility to provide care to critically injured patients who require stabilization, advanced trauma resuscitation, and surgical intervention before transport to a care facility. The hospital also has the only full-time acupuncture center in the U.S. Air Force.

At Malcolm Grow Medical Clinics and Surgery Center in 2023, the 316th Wing Medical Group gathered to commemorate Grow’s 136th birthday where leaders highlighted his lasting legacy.

“As we celebrate Grow’s birthday, let us reflect on his remarkable achievements and the impact he has made on the Air Force and medical community,” said the group’s commander at the time, Col. Robert Corby. “His legacy serves as an inspiration to all of us, reminding us of the importance of dedication, innovation, and compassion for our own lives and careers.”

UC Berkeley ROTC cadets visit Travis Air Force Base

Lifeline in the sky: KC-46 and medical teams unite for critical care exercise

Senior M aSter Sgt

JaMeS W. roMig Jr

U.S. AIR FORCE

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND,

Texas — A KC-46 Pegasus from Oklahoma, typically a lifeline for jets, recently became a crucial link in a high-stakes aeromedical evacuation exercise.

The mission showcased unparalleled Total Force teamwork, bringing together visiting air crews with the Brook Army Medical Center (BAMC)

Critical Care Air Transport Team and the local Kelly Field En-Route Patient Staging System.

The exercise simulated the entire patient movement process, from initial stabilization to inflight critical care. On the ground, ERPSS-50 teams rapidly established a mobile staging facility, creating order for incoming simulated patients.

ERPSS is a key component of the patient movement continuum, ensuring a seamless tran-

sition for aeromedical evacuations and readiness training.

Once staged, the CCATT transformed the KC-46’s interior into a flying Intensive Care Unit. “We essentially build an ICU in the sky,” stated the CCATT clinical director for the exercise.

“This seamless integration ensures critical care continues uninterrupted at 30,000 feet.”

The KC-46 crew provided the stable platform, with boom operators and

crew chiefs securing complex medical equipment. “One sortie, we might refuel a fighter; the next, we’re bringing a hero home,” noted one aircrew member. “This flexibility and teamwork prove we’re ready for the real thing.”

This exercise is more than training; it’s a vital promise to our deployed service members that a dedicated network of professionals stands ready to bring them home, no matter the circumstance.

Research protects warfighters from cold-weather threats

M atthew Reyes NAVAL HEALTH RESEARCH CENTER

BRIDGEPORT — The first plunge into icy water is a shock to the system. For a warfighter operating in extreme cold weather environments, a fall into near-freezing seas isn’t a mishap; it’s a life-or-death battle that is won or lost in the first few minutes.

This research mission took Naval Health Research Center scientists to the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center in Bridgeport, where they spent six days doing research in the harsh Sierra Nevada winter. Working in air temperatures hovering at 19 degrees and with water temperatures at 34 degrees, the team focused on equipping U.S. warfighters with practical survival skills for extreme conditions.

The project, funded by the Office of Naval Research, is directly aimed at improving survival rates during a mass casualty incident at sea, such as a torpedoed ship in arctic waters. Researchers from the center’s environmental and thermal physiology team are investigating cold-environment survival to understand and combat a silent killer known as the “cold shock response,” a leading threat in sudden cold exposure scenarios.

“Most people’s first worry is hypothermia, but in order to actually become hypothermic, you have to survive the cold shock response,” said Rebecca Weller, a research physiologist with the research center. “The initial moments in cold water are often the most dangerous, and how you control your breathing in those moments can determine whether you survive.”

That initial, involuntary gasp for air upon hitting cold water, the rapid and uncontrolled breathing, and the spike in heart rate and blood pressure are all hallmarks of the cold shock response – a series of immediate bodily reactions to sudden cold exposure. This physiological response can quickly lead to aspirating water, cognitive impairment and drowning. Research suggests that this response is the cause of death in up to 60% of accidental coldwater immersions, long before the body’s core temperature begins to drop.

The environmental and thermal physiology team, led by principal investigator Doug Jones, partnered with the warfare training center to conduct a vital study during its coldweather medicine course. Students, mostly Navy hospital corpsmen, enrolled in the course prepared for the rigors of cold weather operations and also had the opportunity to volunteer as

Weller emphasized. “By practicing these techniques in a controlled environment, service members may gain the confidence and muscle memory to execute them when it counts.”

These findings will educate a new generation of warfighters – more prepared, more adaptable and more lethal – armed with the knowledge to conquer one of nature’s most unforgiving environments. They are proving that in the face of the cold’s deadly gasp, the most powerful weapon can be a single, controlled breath.

DLA Energy’s supply chain fuels Artemis II mission

stephanie a bdullah DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY ENERGY

HOUSTON, Texas — When NASA’s Artemis II mission launched April 1, its success relied on a complex and critical supply chain managed by the Defense Logistics Agency Energy.

DLA Energy provided more than 21,000 pounds of highly specialized propellants essential for the Orion spacecraft’s historic flight, sending humans on a journey around the moon for the first time in more than 50 years. The achievement was the result of a multilayered logistical operation that demanded a high degree of precision to ensure the safety of the four-person crew.

“This is a momentous day for our nation,” said Douglas G. Smith, DLA Energy’s director of aerospace energy supplier operations, on launch day. “Providing the essential propellants that will power the Orion spacecraft, and its crew, is a profound responsibility and a source of immense pride for our entire team.”

The agency’s contribution was the culmination of a process managing volatile, toxic and highly pure fuels where there was no margin for error. The specific propellants included monomethyl hydrazine, dinitrogen tetroxide and high-purity hydrazine.

“The phrase ‘hand

in glove’ is the perfect description,” said Shonda Rizo, DLA Energy’s acting director of aerospace energy customer operations. “The coordination with NASA is constant, detailed and operates at multiple levels.”

Rizo described the propellant’s journey as an unbroken chain of custody that began with highly detailed technical requirements from NASA. DLA Energy’s aerospace energy team then engaged a niche industrial base and oversaw production, with quality assurance specialists on-site.

“When human lives are at stake, the standard is absolute perfection,” Rizo said. “Our quality assurance protocols are multilayered and exhaustive.”

The aerospace energy team, in partnership with the Air Force and NASA labs, used techniques such as gas chromatography to search for impurities down to the parts-per-million level. They conducted independent verification and stability testing to ensure the fuel was as pure as possible.

This complex process proved its resilience when initial launch preparations were delayed by fuel leaks and technical issues, forcing the rocket back to the vehicle assembly building in February. Smith explained

subjects in an experiment designed to find a simple, effective defense against cold shock.

The day before a planned cold-water immersion, study participants underwent baseline testing for stress, anxiety and information recall. They also received specialized training in slow-paced breathing.

The next morning, volunteers were fitted with an array of sophisticated datacollection devices – heart rate straps and core and skin temperature monitors. The most critical piece of equipment, however, was a spirometer, which measures the volume and rate of breathing.

The goal was to see if a simple breathing exercise could override the body’s instinct to panic.

“We are trying to develop a technique and strategy that can limit the stress associated with accidental cold-water immersion,” Jones said.

The research center is currently analyzing data from these tests. Based on a preliminary review of the data, the group trained in slow-paced breathing appears to have demonstrated a lower, more controlled breathing rate during the immersion than the untrained control group. They were actively using the technique to

fight the body’s involuntary response.

The team is now analyzing how controlled breathing impacts the cold shock response and operational performance, such as completion of the nine-line task to determine if a patient needs to be evacuated. During the immersion, participants were tasked with performing the test – a standard military procedure that requires clear thinking and precise communication. The ability to perform such a task under the intense physiological stress of cold shock can mean the difference between life and death for a service member.

Ultimately, the findings from this research will provide evidencebased data to validate and refine training protocols across the U.S. military.

The ultimate goal is to provide the military with evidence-based tools that can be quickly taught to any service member and integrated into official guidance like the Navy’s Cold Weather Handbook for Surface Ships, to add strategies for surviving the initial moments of coldwater immersion.

“How you control your breathing in those initial moments of cold-water immersion can determine whether you survive it,”

Through a wide range of research, including its cold-water immersion studies, the research center develops strategies that enable the warfighter to overcome the many health and performancerelated challenges they face in the course of their duties. This research pro vides the Navy, Marine Corps and joint forces with the opportunity to develop tools to maintain cognitive function and enhance survivability in the most extreme mari time environments.

Wyoming airman earns aeromedical evacuation crew member of the year award

M aster sgt

Jonathon a lderM an 153RD AIRLIFT WING

CHEYENNE, Wyo. —

What began as a step into the unknown has led Senior Airman Kaylee Hess to national recognition.

Hess, an aeromedical evacuation technician with the 187th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, 153rd Airlift Wing, Wyoming Air National Guard, was named the 2025 Outstanding Aeromedical Evacuation Crew Member of the Year, an honor recognizing top performers across the Air National Guard’s aeromedical evacuation community.

When Hess first entered the career field, she said she did not know exactly what to expect.

“I was interested in something that would challenge me,” Hess said. “I had never considered medical as a career path, much less medicine in the air.”

The annual award rec-

ognizes individuals who demonstrate exceptional skill, dedication and professionalism in support of the mission.

“These airmen represent the very best of our AE community,” said Chief Master Sgt. Jacqueline Carlson, senior

enlisted leader of the 187th AES. “Their performance reflects exceptional skill, dedication and the culture of excellence fostered within our wings.”

Selected from a competitive pool of nominees across Air National Guard aeromedical evacuation

units, Hess’s recognition reflects sustained excellence among airmen already identified as top performers at the unit level.

I work with very brightminded, mission-oriented people who are passionate about the job.” That humility is part of what sets her apart, according to her leadership.

“What is especially exceptional about Senior Airman Hess’s win is that she is a brand new senior airman who operates at a level far beyond her rank,” Carlson said. “As a junior airman, her expertise is already at a level where she is mentoring others.”

As an aeromedical evacuation technician, Hess helps ensure patients are transported safely during flight, often in high-tempo, high-pressure environments.

Union Avenue, Fairfield, CA www.1ag .com

“Being named the overall winner reflects sustained excellence among a highly capable and experienced pool of AE professionals,” Carlson said. Hess said she was caught off guard by the recognition.

“My initial feeling was shock,” she said. “I was very humbled to be recognized in this capacity.

“A typical day for us starts early,” Hess said. “We start with checking that all of our equipment is mission ready, then meet together as a team to brief the mission and go over our individual roles.” Once patients arrive,

Email: o ce@northhillsvv.org

Website: www.northhillsvv.org

Service Times: Sunday morning 10 a.m., Wednesday evening 6:30 p.m. Phone: 707-449-8977

Freedom Shield 26

Senior A irm An

LAndon GunSAuLS

8TH FIGHTER WING PUBLIC AFFAIRS

KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea — The 8th Fighter Wing was generating combat airpower and preparing mission ready airmen to defend the base, accept followon-forces and take the fight north during exercise Freedom Shield 26, March 9-19, at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea.

FS26 is an annual combined joint all-domain exercise that’s defensive in nature designed to strengthen alliance between the U.S. and ROK, enhance our combined defense posture, and improve joint readiness.

“Wolf Pack airmen know they’re a part of something bigger than just the Wing. Freedom Shield 26 provided our Wolf Pack

an opportunity to align our tactical objectives with Seventh Air Force and U.S. Forces Korea’s mission priorities,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Kathryn “Wolf” Gaetke, 8th FW commander. “At the local level,

we practiced defending the base, accepting followon forces and generating combat power, and that readiness is an important part of U.S. strategy.”

Airmen built on multiple iterations of ability to

Buckley SFB, Malmstrom AFB selected for advanced nuclear power project

SecretAry of the A ir force PubLic A ffAirS

ARLINGTON, Va. —

The Department of the Air Force, in conjunction with the Defense Innovation Unit, has selected Buckley Space Force Base, Colo., and Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont., as potential locations to site nuclear microreactors under the Advanced Nuclear Power for Installations program.

This decision is a key step in ensuring the service can execute critical missions without interruption, thereby strengthening national security.

The ANPI partnership between the service and DIU aims to deploy advanced, contractorowned and operated nuclear microreactors on DAF installations in partnership with commercial reactor companies. It is anticipated those companies will site, license, construct, operate and decommission the microreactors.

“By advancing the use of next-generation nuclear energy, the DAF is strengthening the energy security of our power projection platforms and contributing to long-term national

energy leadership,” said Nancy Balkus, deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for Infrastructure, Energy and Environment. “This initiative represents a critical step in ensuring the department remains the world’s premier Air Force and Space Force.”

Subject matter experts from the DAF and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory performed extensive data and on-site analysis, evaluating environment, nuclear safety and energy integration.

Buckley SFB and Malmstrom AFB have been selected as preferred locations to site an ANPI reactor due to their utility infrastructure, land availability and critical mission requirements. In the coming months, the bases will be paired with an ANPI nuclear vendor technology that best fits the installation’s energy needs, with an anticipated deployment date of 2030 or earlier.

This ANPI program is separate from the microreactor pilot program at Eielson AFB, Alaska, which is a stand-alone effort focused on demonstrating the feasibility and operational benefits of a microreactor at a single installation.

From Page 4

survive and operate exercises flexing to operate in a contested environment while augmenting the 8th Security Forces Squadron through a ready reserve

that the DLA Energy team’s response to these issues demonstrated that its supply chain is a dynamic capability that can absorb shocks and adapt to the fluid nature of space launch. This adaptability is crucial, Smith noted, as it reinforces DLA Energy’s role as

“We all know the names of the astronauts – Reid, Victor, Christina and Jeremy – and we feel a personal responsibility for their safety,” Rizo said. “It’s a powerful reminder that our work here on the ground can have an impact that is truly out of this world.”

she said, the focus shifts to execution, with an emphasis on maintaining a safe and efficient flight.

That ability to perform under pressure has made a strong impression on her team.

“She demonstrates a strong ability to perform under pressure while maintaining high standards in any environment,” Carlson said. “She consistently does the small things right.”

In one instance, Hess’s knowledge and initiative stood out to leadership.

“The commander witnessed Senior Airman Hess’s impressive knowledge of emergency equipment firsthand as she coached a flight nurse studying for an emergency procedure evaluation,” Carlson said. “Professionals like Senior Airman Hess are a tremendous asset to the unit, raising the bar for everyone.”

For Hess, the mission is about more than procedures and proficiency.

“The most meaningful part of this job is knowing that our patients could be going through some of the toughest days of their lives,” she said.

“And knowing we can

From Page 6

force and manning defensive fighting positions across the Wing.

This Freedom Shield featured the return of medical airlift to Kunsan AB. With the U.S. Naval Station Norfolk, Commander, Helicopter Sea Combat Wing Atlantic, Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron HM-15 “Blackhawks”.

Between rapid airfield damage repair, augment-

be the source of provid ing them care, comfort and friendship in their trying times.”

That mindset is grounded in teamwork.

“There is a lot of trust and communi cation that needs to happen,” Hess said. “The people I work with have taught me adaptability above all else.”

Her leadership said that approach strength ens the entire unit.

“Her influence shows up in how the crew and squadron operate - more connected, more dis ciplined and better prepared,” Carlson said.

Hess’s achieve ment also reflects the broader culture within the 187th AES.

“Earning a nationallevel award like this doesn’t happen in isola tion,” Carlson said. “It reflects how this unit trains, operates and takes care of its people every day.”

For Hess, that environment is what makes the mission worth it.

“This career is both challenging and rewarding,” she said. “The people in this career field are some of the best. They are willing to work as a team, and that makes this mission worth it.”

ing security forces, and supporting casualty collection airmen banded together to do whatever it takes to defend the Korean Peninsula.

Whether it was assisting in medical evacuations, repairing runways, or defending the base, every Wolf Pack member worked to make Freedom Shield 26 a success. Ensuring that our rock-solid operational partnership with the Republic of Korea and joint operations through USFK continue to endure.

Travis AFB hosts SAPR teal run