GRANTS PASS, Ore. – The steady thrum of rotor blades filled the air as Staff Sgt. James Grow raised his right hand 1,500 feet above southern Oregon, reenlisting for three more years of service while aboard a CH-47 Chinook helicopter during what may have been the most memorable oath ceremony of his military career.
Grow was one of dozens of Oregon Army National Guard Soldiers who participated in MEDEVAC 101 training on Sunday, July 13, at the Grants Pass Armory. This event combined critical medical evacuation instruction with morale-boosting familiarization flights that left lasting impressions on participants.
"It's important, especially in such a large organization, to see what other parts of the organization do, and how the state as a whole utilizes us," said Warrant Officer 1 David Weber, a pilot with Company G, 1st Battalion, 189th Aviation Regiment, who helped conduct the training alongside his Salem-based unit.
The comprehensive training brought together Soldiers from Delta Company and Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 186th Infantry Regiment, along with personnel from Headquarters and Headquarters Company for hands-on instruction in medical evacuation procedures. Using an HH-60 Black Hawk helicopter from Company G, 1st Battalion, 189th Aviation Regiment, aviation crew members demonstrated proper litter loading techniques and the intricacies of both cold and hot loading procedures, critical skills that could mean the difference between life and death in emergency situations.
"We do it all the time on the radio and do practical exercises as just infantry, but actually doing it with the helicopter here and doing the hot loading, cold loading, seeing their capabilities is huge to us as infantrymen," said 1st Lt. Ian Namu, who coordinated the training event.
The training extended beyond medical evacuation to showcase the broader mission capabilities of Oregon's aviation assets. Weber's crew covered their diverse mission set, including search and rescue operations and wildland firefighting support roles that directly serve Oregon communities during natural disasters and emergencies.
For many Soldiers, the highlight came during familiarization flights aboard the CH-47 Chinook from Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 168th Aviation Regiment, based in Pendleton. Before the morale flights began, the Chinook crew conducted preflight briefings for all participants. When Namu asked how many had never flown in a Chinook or worked with helicopters, 20 to 30 hands shot up, representing a significant learning opportunity for the ground forces.
"It's an experience that these guys will take and be like, 'Hey, I did something cool this drill weekend,'" Namu said. "I think it shows some form of appreciation for the things that they do, the hard work that these ground pounders do."
The aerial portion of training proved so memorable that two Soldiers chose to conduct their reenlistment ceremonies while airborne, in addition to Grow's three-year commitment, Sgt. Cruz Lopez also reenlisted during the flight, both taking their oaths while soaring over the Oregon landscape.
The event also included members of the Recruit Sustaining Program (RSP), giving future Soldiers who have enlisted but not yet completed basic training and Advanced Individual Training a preview of the opportunities awaiting them in the Oregon National Guard.
Oregon National Guard members serve part-time, typically one weekend a month and two weeks a year, while maintaining civilian careers. They stand ready to respond to state emergencies such as wildfires and floods, while also training to defend the nation when called to federal service. Guard members live and work in the same communities they serve, creating a unique connection between military service and local communities.
"Big thing, I think morale and retention is the biggest thing, hopefully that helps our numbers," Namu said, reflecting on the training's broader impact beyond just technical skills.
The MEDEVAC 101 training exemplified the Oregon National Guard's commitment to preparing Soldiers for diverse missions while fostering the esprit de corps that keeps citizen-Soldiers engaged and ready to serve both state and nation when called upon.
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Released B-Roll video: https://www.dvidshub.net/video...
Released Photos:
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Sgt. 1st Class Marcus Hickman, a crew chief with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 168th Aviation Regiment, gives a preflight safety briefing to Oregon Army National Guard Soldiers during MEDEVAC 101 training at the Grants Pass Armory in Grants Pass, Oregon, July 13, 2025. The training event brought together Soldiers from Delta Company and Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 186th Infantry Regiment, for hands-on medical evacuation instruction and familiarization flights. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne, Oregon National Guard Public Affairs)
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Recruit Sustaining Program (RSP) personnel walk up the ramp of a CH-47 Chinook helicopter for a familiarization tour of the aircraft during MEDEVAC 101 training at Grants Pass Airport in Grants Pass, Oregon, July 13, 2025. RSP members, who have enlisted in the Oregon Army National Guard but have not yet completed basic training, received instruction on Army rotary-wing operations and airframes as part of the comprehensive training event. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne, Oregon National Guard Public Affairs)
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1st Lt. Ian Namu administers the oath of reenlistment to Sgt. Cruz Lopez aboard a CH-47 Chinook helicopter with an American flag as the backdrop during MEDEVAC 101 training in Grants Pass, Oregon, July 13, 2025. Lopez reenlisted for three years during the familiarization flight over Medford and Ashland, making for a memorable ceremony at 1,500 feet above southern Oregon. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne, Oregon National Guard Public Affairs)
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Oregon Army National Guard Soldiers hot load onto a CH-47 Chinook helicopter at Grants Pass Airport before the second familiarization flight during MEDEVAC 101 training on July 13, 2025. The Chinook from Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 168th Aviation Regiment, conducted two morale flights over Medford and Ashland, transporting Soldiers as part of a comprehensive training event held at the Grants Pass Armory. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne, Oregon National Guard Public Affairs)
