C-STARS Awards and Citations
Major Julia M. Gruenes distinguished herself by meritorious service while assigned as Critical Care Instructor, En Route Care Training Department, C-STARS Saint Louis, U.S. Air Force Aerospace Medicine, 711th Human Performance Wing, Brooks City-Base, Texas, from XXXXXXXXX to XXXXXXXXX. During this period, Major Gruenes' outstanding professional skill, knowledge, and leadership resulted in major contributions to the success of the Center for Sustainment of Trauma and Readiness Skills (C-STARS) Program. As a critical-care instructor, she provided critical wartime medical skills training to over 340 physicians, nurses, and medical technicians annually. In addition, her superior instruction on an important piece of EMEDS medical equipment facilitated the life-saving care for many critically wounded trauma patients. Further, her pursuit of training opportunities led to a training agreement with local emergency medical services which allowed Air Force medics to ride along, expanding their experience and overall rotation availability by 25 percent. Finally, her goal of a "joint team" was realized when she volunteered to train 67 Naval medics aboard the USS Eisenhower. The distinctive accomplishments of Major Gruenes reflect great credit upon herself, the C-STARS Program and the United States Air Force.
Captain William D. Mealer distinguished himself by meritorious service as Anesthesiologist, C-STARS Saint Louis, 711th Human Performance Wing, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base from XXXXX XXXXX to XXXXX XXXXX. During this period, while deployed to Afghanistan, Captain Mealer exceeded all established military medicine precedents as Bagram Airfield Staff Anesthesiologist. He mastered trauma anesthesia management and provided patient centered care for 133 Air Force, Army, and local national patients in an austere environment. Further, his skills were indispensable as a member of a multidisciplinary trauma team and critical to maintaining the USSM 99.7% survival rate. Finally, Captain Mealer participated in and contributed to civilian residency education to include didatic and clinical instruction, improving the unit's professional relationship with civilian institutions. The distinctive accomplishments of Captain Mealer reflect great credit upon himself, the Center for Sustainment of Trauma and Readiness Skills, and the United States Air Force.
Technical Sergeant Clarence A. Campbell distinguished himself by outstanding achievement as an Emergency Medical Technician, Center for Sustainment of Trauma and Readiness Skills, Saint Louis, Missouri. On this day, Sergeant Campbell provided outstanding critical care during the resuscitation of a trauma patient with life threatening crush injuries to both legs which were bleeding profusely. He immediately recognized that the blood pressure cuff being utilized as a tourniquet on one of the patient's legs was not controlling the bleeding and leapt into action. He sprinted to the Air Force human simulation laboratory, obtained a Combat Application Tourniquet and quickly returned to the emergency room where he immediately applied the tourniquet to the patient's leg. Sergeant Campbell's prompt actions controlled the patient's bleeding and enabled the medical staff to fully resuscitate the patient and transport her to the operating room for definitive care. The distinctive accomplishments of Sergeant Campbell reflect credit upon himself and the United States of the Air Force.
