CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Eleven members of the West Virginia Guard’s 130th Airlift Wing’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and high-yield Explosives, or CBRNE, Enhanced Response Force Package, or CERF-P, pushed their operational limits during an Aug. 18-21 training that strengthened their life-saving tactical medical skills required to respond to complex trauma scenarios.
The Armed Forces Advanced Trauma Training was hosted in Hawaii by the Global Training Institute. The 130th Airlift Wing CERF-P personnel embedded into a class of 92 students from across the United States. While predominantly consisting of National Guard members, the joint training environment at Marine Corps Base Hawaii also integrated active-component Navy and Marine Corps personnel.
The rigorous program ensures medical personnel are equipped with advanced medical skills needed for trauma responses.
“Pilots fly real helicopters, snipers shoot real guns – why shouldn’t the medic work on actual tissue instead of a mannequin?” said a spokesman for the Global Training Institute. “We provide that stopgap by recreating actual war injuries using training cadavers for intubations and chest tubes. When you practice on plastic, you don’t get the same response or tactile feedback. It’s the exact same tactical combat casualty care training, but everything is real tissue.”
During the training, Airmen faced severe simulated injuries in high-stress, austere environments. Training in an unfamiliar location such as Hawaii challenged personnel to adapt quickly to new logistical and environmental conditions, mirroring the realities of deploying to an emergency zone.
“I’ve learned a lot of interventions outside my standard scope, like chest tubes, cricothyroidotomies, and suturing,” said Airman 1st Class Aaliyah Durigan, a respiratory therapist with the 130th Airlift Wing CERF-P. “Being able to ask questions one-on-one with experienced instructors while getting repeated reps helps you learn under pressure. GTI keeps me ‘Ready to Go’ in case I ever need to deploy or step into a high-stakes emergency.”
The training supports the CERF-P’s mission to provide medical response and other capabilities during domestic emergencies and National Special Security Events. Members of the 130th Airlift Wing CERF-P have supported events in the National Capital Region, including presidential inaugurations, State of the Union addresses and other major public events.
“Back home in West Virginia, we get comfortable with our routine, which can sometimes lead to complacency,” said Staff Sgt. Tavia Dunham, a medical technician with the 130th Airlift Wing CERF-P. “Training in a new environment with diverse personnel challenges us to think outside the box. Working on fresh-frozen cadavers with blood flow is as realistic as it gets before going into the field. It gives our team – especially the newer Airmen – the confidence and hands-on experience needed to execute when stakes are high.”
By prioritizing medical training, the 130th Airlift Wing ensures its CERF-P remains a trusted, flexible and immediately deployable asset, ready to protect lives during complex domestic emergencies and mass casualty events.