Minuteman Minute | Lt. Col. Jean Darnell Uniform

Lt. Col. Jean Darnell of the Delaware Air National Guard’s 142nd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron was already deployed to the Balkans on Sept. 11, 2001. Her unit quickly pivoted to support Operation Enduring Freedom by providing aeromedical evacuations from Afghanistan.

Hi, I’m Will Roulett, Director of the National Guard Memorial Museum, here in D.C., and this is YOUR Minuteman Minute! Within weeks of the September 11 attacks, the US launched the invasion of Afghanistan, and the Guard was there. This uniform was worn by Lieutenant Colonel Jean Darnell, an Aeromedical Evacuation Officer in the Delaware Air National Guard’s 142nd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron. Part of the 166th Airlift Wing, the 142nd was supporting operations in the Balkans in 2001 when it pivoted to support Operation Enduring Freedom. By October 2001, members of the 142nd were deployed to Turkey and Afghanistan and stood ready to evacuate the sick or injured to Germany or to the U.S. Aeromedical evacuation crews consist of two nurses and three medical technicians. According to Darnell, her average day was anywhere from 16 to 22 hours, depending on the patients’ needs. Come see this and a whole lot more at the National Guard Memorial Museum. I’m Will Roulett, and that’s been your Minuteman Minute brought to you by the National Guard Educational Foundation.