Charlie Company of the 3-82 General Support Aviation Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade has become the first active Army unit to perform an in-flight prehospital blood transfusion outside a combat zone.

Known as the Fort Bragg “All American”, DUSTOFF Charlie Company conducts medical evacuation operations year-round to support the installation and the surrounding area.

Since the activation of the installation's whole blood program, flight medics have been authorized to transport blood and administer transfusions during aeromedical evacuations, which significantly improves patient survivability during prehospital transport. While whole blood transfusions are commonly performed in combat zones, this is the first of its kind.

“When a 9-line drops, that becomes our number one priority”, stated Chief Warrant Officer 3 Duro, pilot-in-command. After receiving the MEDEVAC request, the crew, which included Chief Warrant Officer 3 Duro, Chief Warrant Officer 1 King, Staff Sergeant Beighley, and Corporal Sullivan, took action. “This was my first call here and out of training as a sole provider. I was able to react accordingly and make the right decisions because I knew that I had a solid crew with me that day.” Said Staff Sergeant Beighley.

Upon arrival, the duty crew quickly made judgments and coordinated with on-scene agencies, resulting in a safe aircraft landing. After receiving the Fort Bragg Emergency Medical Services patient care report along with the patient, Beghiley assessed that the patient required blood authorized from the whole blood program. During the transport, she had only minutes to provide critical medical interventions to improve the patient's outcome. Among them, Beighley executed the blood transfusion. The patient was successfully transferred to the Womack Army Medical Center for higher-level medical treatment.