TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- In the world of military aviation where precision and readiness are non-negotiable, the 325th Medical Group offers specialized treatment and comprehensive services that are designed to ensure that Airmen are mission-ready by providing comprehensive healthcare tailored to their unique operational needs.
Tyndall’s 325th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron’s flight medicine clinic plays an essential role in maintaining the health of the people executing the mission. With a focus on members on flight status, these medical providers are ensuring our forces are able to support the Great Power Competition.
“[In] Flight Medicine specifically, [we are] not only looking at someone’s regular healthcare, [but] we’re having to take into consideration their special duties. So, for flyers, we have to take into consideration what medications they are given that may impact their ability to fly, whether its their mood, their judgment or their reflexes. There are very strict guidelines on what would keep our flyers safe,” said Capt. Elizabeth Kuss, 325th OMRS aeromedical nurse practitioner. “Any treatments we suggest may have a potential impact to the mission, so we have to make sure pilots are safe to fly. That also goes for our defenders. There are special duty requirements for every single one of those, and we have to make a disposition on not only our medical but our readiness disposition.
Kuss explained that their teams’ mission is to provide ready and reliable care by delivering the most accurate and effective healthcare services possible making sure our war fighters are fit to fight.
Medical readiness is essential as it ensures that Airmen are physically and mentally prepared to perform their duties without issue, especially during deployments or high-stake operations. Without proper medical support, the ability to respond swiftly and effectively to challenges could be compromised, ultimately putting the mission and lives at risk.
“We are flight medicine technicians, but our core job is being a medical technician being able to cover anywhere in the hospital,” stated Staff Sgt. Makele Shanks, 325th OMRS base operational medical clinic noncommissioned officer in charge. “Let’s say we have an in-flight emergency, and we need ambulance services, then we have that capability to rotate between flight medicine and ambulance services allowing us to be that multi-capable Airman.”
Flight medicine offers specialized care such as occupational health assessments, deployment health screenings and evaluations for personnel in high-risk roles.
“Not only do we handle deployments, but we also do occupational health evaluations. We do have specialty shops due to specific job duties, whether they’re being exposed to aerosols, chemicals or noise,” mentioned Kuss. “We have individuals in certain programs where we want to make sure that we’re monitoring any type of injuries or statuses specific to their occupation, so we perform health evaluations along with regular primary care. If you are a patient assigned to us, we also see you for cough, cold, sniffles, sick call or if you are having abdominal pains or primary care issues, hypertension, other disease, or regular health concerns.”
Tyndall’s medical clinic doesn’t just provide routine medical care but ensures every individual is ready and safe to perform their duties, which is essential for the base’s operational effectiveness.
“We want to make sure that they are meeting the requirements in order to deploy,” expressed Staff Sgt. Richard Donnelly 325th OMRS flight medicine flight operational medical technician. “If there are any findings, then we ensure they get the proper care they need so that they are fit to complete the mission.”