C-130 pilot shares stories with school kids

[unhappycamper]

C-130 pilot shares stories with school kids
The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Nov 11, 2007 14:14:14 EST

MADISON, S.D. — An Air Force pilot who has flown in Asia, the Middle East and Africa says some of his most important missions involved transporting injured officers during the ongoing hostilities in Iraq.

Capt. Josh Leibel, 27, gave a presentation recently to K-5 students at Madison’s St. Thomas School that included video slides of his work as the pilot and aircraft commander of a C-130 transport plane.

Students got to see photos of medical personnel loading wounded soldiers onto transport aircraft and providing treatment during flights.

Leibel said doctors can perform open-heart surgery in the hold of his C-130 Hercules while it’s in the air, but most injured passengers have an uneventful ride from one medical facility to another.

The wounded “are usually stabilized by the time that we pick them up,” he said.

Leibel, who lives in central Texas and works at Dyess Air Force Base, is currently on leave, taking a break from active duty while visiting family in Madison. He’ll return to his unit in February.


Rest of article at: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2007/11/ap_c130pilot_071111/