Keesler medics join Southern Strike exercise Published Nov. 12, 2014 By Steve Pivnick 81st Medical Group Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Two Critical Care Air Transport Teams from Keesler Medical Center participated in en route casualty care missions during Exercise Southern Strike 15. Nov. 1-3. Providing patient care aboard a specially-configured C-17 "Globemaster III" during the mission were: Maj. (Dr.) Shawn French, 81st Medical Operations Squadron critical care physician; 1st Lt. Anthony Reddin critical care nurse and Capt. Lady Laarni Domingo, critical care nurse, 81st Inpatient Operations Squadron; and respiratory therapist Senior Airman Jason Boyd, 81st MDOS. The second CCAT team consisting of Maj. (Dr.) George Kotti, 81st MDOS critical care physician; Captains. Emmy Loisa Greenhill and Pete Traylor, 81st IPTS critical care nurses; and Senior Airman Michael Bearden, 81st MDOS respiratory therapist, cared for patients aboard a specially-configured KC-135 "Stratotanker" air refueling aircraft. The aircraft and crew were from the Mississippi ANG's 186th Air Refueling Wing, Meridian, Mississippi. "Military units and federal agencies from across the United States converged on South Mississippi to develop their personnel and enhance combat effectiveness during Exercise Southern Strike 15 at the Combat Readiness Training Center, in Gulfport, Mississippi, Oct. 27-Nov. 7," according to the Mississippi National Guard's news release. "Fifty-one units from 23 states are involved along with FBI and international observers," said Col. Craig Ziemba, Southern Strike 15 exercise director. "Southern Strike's objective is to provide tailored, cost effective, and realistic combat training for National Guard personnel in a joint and multinational environment. Units are provided a unique training experience tailored to meet their needs. National Guard assets from across the state of Mississippi greatly contributed to making the event possible. "This is a Mississippi National Guard-led and planned and largely executed 'war' that we're holding, and then we've invited Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and they've all shown up." "The Crisis Response Element demonstrated the ability of the Mississippi National Guard to 'rapidly pick up and move a special operations top tier team anywhere in the world,' Ziemba said. "Southern Strike, in its third year, has grown every year and has proven to be an invaluable training asset to active duty and well as National Guard units."