Selfish Prayer: How California National Guard DUSTOFF Changed the Face of Medevac amid Chaos, Carnage and Politics of War

by SSG Emmett William Spraktes, Victoria M. Newman

They fly into battles armed only with a rifle and a red cross...… whispering silent prayers for courage as they work. Driven by a deep-seated compassion for human life, Medevac crews risked their lives for their brothers in battle. Daring rescues, firefights, and courageous measures in the air and on the ground pushed their abilities beyond limits to ensure soldiers saw their loved ones again. This is the untold story of DUSTOFF - a company of National Guard lifesavers dedicated to a mission that moved beyond the bounds of deployment, and outside the borders of Afghanistan. By recruiting civilian paramedics from the west coast, the 168th GSAB Medevac Company set out to prove their training model could save more lives of wounded soldiers than flight medics trained to the Army standard. Through eyewitness accounts of bloody battles, hoists into dangerous terrain under fire, and investing themselves to sheer exhaustion, they had one bring our soldiers home alive. The Army's documented results were staggering. The mortality rate of American, Coalition and civilian patients was cut in half while they were in theater. After they departed Afghanistan, it rose 50% to where it was before. Returning home from deployment, their battle continued. Armed with damning evidence and a memory-fueled passion that led to face to face conflicts, they were marginalized and maligned. Undaunted, these men put their careers at risk. They fought for fundamental changes to ensure our soldiers receive the best care possible, forcing the Army's hand to finally do the right thing.

380 pages, Paperback

First published August 24, 2013