Partners in patient care: 18AES and JASDF train for real-world patient response

KADENA AIR BASE, Japan - U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 18th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron and members of the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force AES came together for a two-day aeromedical evacuation exchange aimed at strengthening interoperability, operational readiness and trust between the two allied forces.

Coming together with 18th AES provided JASDF AES members an opportunity to work side-by-side with Airmen in an engaging environment and train to provide life-saving patient care aboard a U.S. Marine Corps KC-130J Hercules assigned to the Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152.

“Our intent was to have hands-on exchange, not just watching, but actually working side-by-side together,” said Staff Sgt. Taylor Roberts, 18th AES aeromedical evacuation technician. “This type of training cements how we can work together before a crisis happens.”

The training emphasized firsthand collaboration and integration, facilitating a mix of U.S. and Japanese Service Members to train together in a realistic operational environment. Participants worked through medical scenarios while pushing past language barriers to build communication, trust and familiarity that will play a critical role during future humanitarian assistance or contingency operations.

“By maintaining communication and coordination on a regular basis through opportunities like this, it becomes much easier to respond effectively when something actually happens in a real world setting,” said Col. Toshihiro Ishigami, JASDF AES commander. “Building mutual trust is also extremely important when it comes to successfully carrying out missions together.”

This collaboration reinforced the 18th AES’s vital mission to provide rapid patient movement while highlighting Kadena’s role in maintaining bilateral readiness across the Indo-Pacific. Training alongside JASDF strengthened the teamwork and coordination needed to respond effectively during future missions and crises.