The DUSTOFF Association is a nonprofit incorporated veterans’ organization for Army Medical Department enlisted and officer personnel, aviation crewmembers, and others who are (or ever were) engaged in (or actively supported in any capacity) Army aeromedical evacuation programs in war or peace.

Latest DUSTOFF News

Hall Of Fame Nominees and Voting Booth Open The write-ups for this year's nominees to the DUSTOFF Hall Of Fame are now available for review in the Hall Of Fame portion of this site as well as in the DUSTOFFer Newsletter. If you are a member of our Association, please take time to review these write-ups and then go to the Voting Booth and vote for any nominee you feel worthy of installation in the Hall Of Fame. Please remember that only members of the DUSTOFF Association are eligible to vote.

DUSTOFF Crew Honored with Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross From left to right, SSG Thomas A. Gifford, SSG Emmett Spraktes, CW4 Brandon Erdmann and CW2 Scott St. Aubin pose for a group photograph after an award ceremony at Mather Airfield in Sacramento, CA, 13 Jun, 10. During the ceremony, Spraktes was awarded the Silver Star Medal while Gifford, Erdmann and St. Aubin received the Distinguished Flying Cross with V Device for heroic actions in Afghanistan while assigned to the California National Guard’s Company C, 1-168th General Support Aviation Battalion. (Photo by SFC Jesse Flagg, California National Guard)

Paul A. Bloomquist Honored On Memorial Day, 31 May 2010 the DUSTOFF Association was honored to participate in a ceremony inducting LTC Paul A. Bloomquist into the Utah Aviation Hall of Fame at Hill AFB. LTC Bloomquist was the 24th person and the first Army aviator to earn this prestigious honor. LTC Bloomquist was well represented by his brother Mr. Wayne Bloomquist, his family, and a bevy of distinguished attendees. His induction was commemorated by Senator Bob Bennett and MG Brian Tarbet. Senator Bennett and MG Tarbet spoke eloquently about the service and sacrifice of LTC Bloomquist as well as his untimely death at the hands of terrorists. LTC Bloomquist’s heroic past was eulogized and served as the catalyst for honoring all of our fallen heroes and the superb history of Army MEDEVAC.

Neal Stanley Presents Memorial Day Talk DUSTOFFer Neal Stanley spent six days in Washington DC over Memorial Day week and says it was a wonderful celebration of our country, our military, and those soldiers that gave their lives for our freedom. He was at the Wall 8-10 hours everyday and says it was great talking to all of the veterans and their families. On Monday morning he gave a presentation at the Vietnam Women's Memorial as one of eight speakers in the Storytelling program. Each speaker was allocated 30 minutes to give their talk. [Read More]

C-3-82 Return From Afghanistan

On the 7 and 8 July, the DUSTOFF Association paid a visit to Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade (the former 54th Med Co). Dan Gower, Executive Director along with Christine Hawk from Breeze Eastern Corporation were finally able to present the DUSTOFF Aviator of the Year and DUSTOFF Crew Chief of the Year awards. MAJ Dirk LaFleur, the commander of C-3/82, was awarded the DUSTOFF Aviator of the Year award. SGT Patrick Janssen was awarded the DUSTOFF Crew Chief of the Year award. Their service and accomplishments in their most recent deployment to Afghanistan are truly remarkable and stand as testimony to their dedication to the mission. In the tradition of the DUSTOFF Association, all members of the unit were given a DUSTOFF Association Coin, a hearty handshake, and “Welcome home.” Many thanks to Christine Hawk who interrupted a family vacation to make the trip to Fort Bragg and make the award for SGT Janssen.

Aviator of the Year Presentation Christine Hawk addresses C-3-82	Presentation of Crew Chief of the Year to SGT Janssen. L-R: Dan Gower, Christine Hawk, SGT Patrick Janssen, LTC Wade Blackwell (GSAB Bn Cdr) and CSM Brown (GSAB Bn CSM) Outstanding Members of C-3-82 L - R: CW3 Ron Workman, CW3 Marcus Lewis, SGT Earl Cox (SI), SGT Travis Mayo (Flight Medic), SGT Kevin Burleson (Maint. NCOIC), CPT Francis McCahill (XO/OPSO)	MAJ LaFluer Aviator of the Year
Christine Hawk coins LT Burns Welcome Home	C-3-82 Dan and Christine at Luigi's Top Row L - R: SGT Janssen (CE of the Year), Christina Hawk, CW3 Christopher Ryan (SIP), CPT Stephanie Burns (Platoon Leader), CW2 Raul Dsouza, CPT Francis McCahill (XO/OPSO), Shanna Esposito, Deanna Lafleur, CPT Marc Esposito (Plt Ldr), MAJ Dirk Lafleur (CDR and Aviator of Year). Bottom row L - R: CW2 Monica Narhi (MTP), CW3 Ron Workman (IP/IE), Dan Gower, CW2 Sam Ratterree (IP), CW2 Billie Graves, CPT Castronovo (Plt Ldr)	Dan coins member of C-3-82

Dustoff Soldiers Awarded
Germany’s Gold Cross Medal

14 American soldiers made history, becoming the first foreigners to ever receive Germany’s Gold Cross medal, one of the nation’s highest awards for valor.

The U.S. MEDEVAC crewmen stationed in Ansbach, Germany 12th CAB 5-158th were honored for risking their lives to come to the rescue of German soldiers, who were ambushed by as many as 200 Taliban fighters during a patrol north of the city of Kunduz on April 2nd, 2010.

They will soon be honored by the U.S. with medals as well. The lead soldier who flew in over half of the missions on Good Friday was Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jason LaCrosse, Instructor Pilot, with him CW2 Jason Brown Pilot in Command and the Dustoff Medevac crew.

The 14 Gold Cross recipients are: Chief Warrant Officer 3 Steven Husted, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jason LaCrosse, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Nelson Visaya, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jason Brown, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Sean Johnson, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Eric Wells, Staff Sgt. Travis Brown, Sgt William Ebel, Sgt. Antonio Gattis, Sgt. Steven Schumaker, Spc. Matthew Baker, Spc. Todd Marchese, Spc. Gregory Martinez, Capt. Robert McDonough.

[Read More] 

[Video of the Taliban while Ambushing German ISAF Forces in Kunduz Good Friday, April 2, 2010. The video shows the Taliban firing at the German troops and relentlessly opening fire and hitting the Medevac plane (being flown by CW3 Jason LaCrosse and CW2 Jason Brown with crew).]

Gold Cross Recipients	Gold Cross Medal	Gold Cross Recipients
Hug Ceremony		Bild Newspaper Picture

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