PS 175Q ThinkQuest Presents:

Military Memories

ARMY

CCATT Team: David Supinski

What division of the military are you in? I’m in the United States Air Force

Which war(s) did you fight in? I deployed for Operation Enduring Freedom & then what became Operation Iraqi Freedom

How long were you in the war? Deployment one: 2 months (was sent home due to family emergency) Deployment two: 5 months

Did you meet anyone special or make any friends? If so do you still talk with them? I made a lot of friends while deployed.  I still do keep in touch with some.

Did you get hurt? How? Fortunately, I did not get hurt

How was the food? Did you like it? I have eaten some interesting things while in the military.  I can remember eating brown eggs (normally yellow), they weren’t the best but they were hot so I couldn’t complain.  Sometimes the food may not have been the tastiest but it is amazing what hot sauce can do to a meal.  I enclosed a picture of my team eating Ramen® noodles in our canteen cup, now that was good.

Where did you sleep? Was it comfortable? I mainly slept on a cot.  My sleeping bag kept me warm & it actually was quite comfortable.

Is there any place you visited that you liked the most? Afghanistan was interesting.  I have traveled to many different countries during my deployments & all were unique in there own way.  Germany, of course was the best because at least there was grass & pavement not like the gravel that is found at many deployment sites. 

Did you do any kind of training? If so, what kind? I was medical. I was part of a 3-man team that would fly, in almost any aircraft, critically ill patients out of theater to higher levels of care.  We were a flying Intensive Care Unit.  While deployed we trained for different types of scenarios & did lots of hands-on with our medical equipment.  We also taught other medical professionals. 

Was it your choice to be in the military? Yes, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do so I enlisted in the USAF. Would you do it again? Probably, I love the USAF & the opportunity it has provided me.

How did you feel to fight for your country? I felt most proud of taking care of my fellow servicemen & our allies.

How often did you get to contact your friends and family? I spoke with my wife every 5 days & my parents once every 2 weeks.

Did you miss your family often? Yes, but I have a wonderful supportive family.

How many hours did you sleep? I was lucky to usually get good sleep.  If we had a mission, which was usually in the late evenings sometimes we would not sleep until the next day. 

What's the main job of your branch of the military? Global Airpower

What is your official title? Physician Assistant Student (I graduate in September 2006) While deployed I was a Respiratory Therapist as part of the CCATT Team. (Critical Care Aeromedical Transport Team)

2006/2007 ThinkQuest Competition-- The Lynn Gross Discovery School- 64-35 102nd Street Rego Park, New York 11374