Flight doctors took on Red Flag-Alaska patients, mission

  • Published
  • By Capt. Shannon Collins
  • 8th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, ALASKA --  From Airmen and Marines ammunition experts to the weapons loaders, crewchiefs, maintainers and pilots; to achieve the mission, they all have to be fit to fight. Three flight surgeons, affectionately known as flight docs, kept about 2,000 Airmen and Marines fit to fight during Red Flag-Alaska.

During the 10-day exercise, Capt. (Dr.) Thomas Beachkofsky, 80th Fighter Squadron, Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea; Lt. Col. (Dr.) Alan Flower, 335th Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C.; and Navy Lt. (Dr.) Kevin Winegar, VMA-211, Marine Corps Air Station, Yuma, Ariz.; rotated 24-hour on-call shifts and clinic time to make sure everyone was medically ready to complete the mission. They also gained experience working in a "deployed" environment with other branches of the service and with aircrews assigned to different airframes.

The flight docs saw about 10 patients each per day, mainly treating colds, musculoskeletal injuries and sleeping problems. All three of the doctors experienced Red Flag-Alaska for the first time and have yet to deploy as flight surgeons. Part of the "deployed" atmosphere at Red Flag-Alaska for the flight surgeons was limited resources.

"In keeping with the simulated 'deployment,' I only have the equipment and medicine I brought with me," said Captain Beachkofsky. "However, if the need arose, then I was able to use the resources available at Eielson Air Force Base and the local community to maintain the highest level of care."

Lieutenant Winegar even moved the majority of his clinic time to a hangar in support of the "deployment."

"I wanted to be closer to the Marines," he said in reference to the AV-8B Harrier crews. "I volunteered to be in the hangar, taking care of the Marines and available to them 24/7."

Though the two Air Force doctors and one Navy doctor worked in different sections, they did meet to discuss the similarities and differences each face at their respective bases.

"It was very interesting to learn about what their typical day is like and what their initial training consisted of," said Colonel Flower.

"Working side-by-side with flight doctors from other services is a great opportunity," said Captain Beachkofsky. "While medicine remains the same, the way in which the art of medicine is practiced is unique to each service. There are many stereotypes out there regarding each service, some true, some not so true, but one thing holds true. Each service tends to adopt unique characteristics that can affect patient care. The ability to learn from my colleagues in other branches is a great opportunity to learn about these unique aspects and to learn how to provide the best medical care possible."

"I think it's important for different branches of the military to get together in training such as Red Flag-Alaska to help us prepare for the true deployed setting," said Lieutenant Winegar. "This training helps us realize what type of injuries we will see on deployment, what we need to study up on before deployment, what supplies we need and what we need to do while deployed to keep our force fit to complete the mission."

Another way the doctors trained and prepared for deployments was by flying and visiting the aircrews of different airframes.

"Experiencing the challenges that each airframe and its aircrew are presented with is invaluable," said Colonel Flower. "Getting to see it firsthand validates the flying part of our job."

Captain Beachkofsky, who is assigned to fly with Kunsan's F-16 Fighting Falcons, had the chance to fly with the KC-135 Stratotankers from McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, and Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., and the B-52 Stratofortress from Barksdale Air Force Base, La.

"By flying in other airframes and working with different pilots and aircrew, I am able to gain a better appreciation for the unique stressors facing each community and specific aeromedical concerns associated with each aircraft," he said. "I can take this information and experience back to my clinic and have a better understanding of specific requirements and limitations that are of a medical concern. All aircraft are similar, but there are many differences that are best realized and understood with firsthand experience. To have actually pulled nine Gs in an F-16 or lain in a KC-135 boom operator's chair is a much different experience than reading about it. That is crucial to having a well-trained flight doc."

"It helps me gain a better understanding of the stresses and fatigue their bodies and minds feel not only from flight, but from studying for the flight, briefing the flight and debriefing the flight," said Lieutenant Winegar. "I also think the pilots and maintainers have a greater respect for the doc when he takes an interest in what they are doing and learning what they go through. They will have more confidence to come to the doc with any problems they may have, making the squadron a healthier, safer place to work."

Whether it's flying with aircrew from different airframes or treating patients with limited resources, the flight surgeons said they received invaluable training.

"I cannot fully express how much this experience has helped me as a flight surgeon," said Lieutenant Winegar. "This was my first deployment experience; I gained a confidence and camaraderie with my squadron I would not have gained otherwise. I didn't see too many patients, but I did gain knowledge of medicine in the deployed setting. Now, when the time comes for deployment, it will be so much easier to come up with a plan and execute it."

"It's important for flight doctors to take part in exercises like Red Flag," said Captain Beachkofsky. "In addition to providing real-world medical support for our Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and Marines, this is a priceless learning opportunity. This provides me a similar experience to a deployed setting, something I have yet to do and allows me to see what the common medical concerns are firsthand. It is a great opportunity to learn about the missions of other aircrew, their unique stressors and demands through firsthand experience."