A deployment to remember Published Dec. 5, 2010 By Staff Sgt. Javier Cruz 446th Airlift Wing Public Affairs JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. -- Reservist with the 446th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron are ready to do whatever is required of them - from doing what they do best in the form of providing excellent patient care, to being attentive listeners, and even serving as movie stars. Seven 446th AES members recently returned from a six-month deployment to Joint Base Andrews, Md. While deployments come with the territory of being a 446th AES member, this deployment was unique because it kept the Reservists closer to home. While their they were responsible for transporting patients on their journey home for further medical care. A typical 446th AES deployment these days involves transporting patients for follow-up care to various locations from overseas. This state side-based deployment allowed the Reserve medical team to devote more time with their patients than normal. With occasional lengthy waiting period (as long as two days) in between missions, flight nurses like Capt. Shana Weber, an ER nurse at Tacoma General Hospital Tacoma, Wash, took advantage of the time to get to know their patients. "There's been time since what happened to them, and they might want to talk about it a little bit," the captain said. "You get to know them and when they leave, you get a little emotional." For Maj. Lorie O'Daniel, a 446th AES flight nurse since 1982, this mission was rewarding because the crew brought the patients home, or closer to home, where they could receive the best treatment. They also got the chance to coordinate with other agencies involved in the logistics, to best determine the flight routes that kept passengers as the priority. The Seattle VA Hospital nurse said, "We affected a lot of change in the system to benefit the patient, which is the point. You are a little less tired at the end of the day, when you do a good thing." According to the major, one of the changes included modifying the flight plan so they could deliver patients according to severity of injury, reducing their trauma. Maj. Sheila Wojewodzki, a flight nurse with the 446th AES for 14 years, said the mission was an intriguing experience for her because she got to participate in a pilot program with the C-21 Learjet aircraft, which has a small air frame that has not been used to transport patients before. The Reserve aeromedical evacuation team also got the chance to participate in the production phase of the documentary "Rescue," which is currently being shot in IMAX 3D. The officers said they were filmed conducting various operations, which they believe will serve to get the 446th Airlift Wing story out to the public. All the nurses agreed that these elements, combined with great patient attitudes and spirits, helped to make this deployment the unique opportunity it was.