JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. -- Airman First Class Kha Ngo of the 446th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron was just finishing up his first day of Phase II training as medical technician at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., in August, where he was assigned to a team that responds to emergencies at the flight line when the emergency phone rang with a dire message: smoke in the cockpit of an F-15 fighter jet that was participating in Exercise Red Flag, an international exercise of fighter pilots honing their skills over the Nevada desert. The pilot had trouble seeing due to the smoke and had to make an emergency landing.
Ngo and his team quickly grabbed their kits and raced to the flight line in an ambulance, ready for the emergency. The aircraft safely made an emergency landing and Ngo and his team quickly sprang into action. “After he landed, we took care of him, we did all the physical assessments necessary to make sure he was okay physically before we finally released him to his squadron,” said Ngo. The Montana-based pilot expressed his gratitude to Ngo and his team for their quick action to the situation. He said it was the fastest response to an emergency that he has been a part of.
For his part, Ngo said he was just doing what he’s been trained to do. The Vancouver, Wash. native Ngo is also studying as a nurse practitioner at the University of Southern California. He now lives in Los Angeles, Calif., but relishes his time here with the 446th. “The mission of AES is incredible and I want to do something medical, but didn’t want to be stuck in a clinic,” said Ngo. “So to be a flight medic is actually cool and the missions here at 446th is awesome.” Ngo completed his Phase II training at Nellis Air Force Base and is now in the middle of a seasonal training program with the 446th AES.