CHARLESTON, W.Va. – HealthNet Aeromedical Services proudly recognized the newest graduates of its Flight Academy program during a special ceremony at the Charleston Light Opera Guild Theatre Thursday, August 6.

Along with family, friends, and HealthNet leadership, nine flight nurses and eight flight paramedics from Flight Academy Class Uniform were honored for successfully completing the program. Each received a graduation certificate and flight vest marking their achievement.

Flight Academy is an intensive 10-week training program designed to prepare experienced clinicians for the unique challenges of airborne critical care transport. Participants complete a combination of classroom instruction, realistic simulation training, hands-on skills development, and helicopter simulator exercises that replicate the dynamic environment and rigors of air medical transport.

With their training complete, the newly certified mobile critical care nurses and paramedics have been assigned to HealthNet bases across the organization’s service region, where they will provide advanced critical care and lifesaving transport to patients throughout Central Appalachia.

Graduates and their assigned bases are below:

• Melissa Bennett, Flight Nurse, Base 8 (Martinsburg, W.Va.)
• Kayla Caudill, Flight Nurse, Base 3 (Huntington, W.Va.)
• Mike Centers, Flight Paramedic, Base 3 (Huntington, W.Va.)
• Brittany Chapman, Flight Paramedic, Base 8 (Martinsburg, W.Va.)
• Jared Clendenen, Flight Paramedic, Base 6 (Buckhannon, W.Va.)
• Megan Corbly, Flight Nurse, Base 10 (Moundsville, W.Va.)
• Cody Doran, Flight Nurse, Base 8 (Martinsburg, W.Va.)
• Patrick Fore, Flight Paramedic, Base 8 (Martinsburg, W.Va.)
• Rob Gilliam, Flight Nurse, Base 3 (Huntington, W.Va.)
• Greg Guire, Flight Paramedic, Base 6 (Buckhannon, W.Va.)
• Hannah Halterman, Flight Nurse, Base 1 (Morgantown, W.Va.)
• Zach Jordan, Flight Nurse, Base 5 (Beckley, W.Va.)
• Katie McClung, Flight Nurse, Base 5 (Beckley, W.Va.)
• Charles McCray, Flight Paramedic, Base 9 (Lewisburg, W.Va.)
• Garrett Poole, Flight Nurse, Base 2 (Millwood, W.Va.)
• Lauren Trenter, Flight Paramedic, Base 1 (Morgantown, W.Va.)
• Ray Wolfe, MCCP/Clinical Educator, (Administration)

HealthNet Aeromedical Services President and CEO Clinton Burley explained these graduates represent the future of critical care transport at HealthNet.

“We are immensely proud of the latest graduates from Flight Academy Uniform. Their intense training, dedication, and passion for pre-hospital critical care and transport medicine have prepared them to face the unique demands placed on our teams. Their skill and compassion will be invaluable as we continue our mission to provide rapid, life-saving care across the Central Appalachia region.”

Photos of the graduation ceremony are available at HealthNet Aeromedical | Flickr.