Photo By Janice Erdlitz | Fort Rucker, AL – Senior leaders from the U.S. Army Medical Readiness Command, East...... read more read more
Fort Rucker, Alabama – Senior leaders from the U.S. Army Medical Readiness Command, East visited Fort Rucker on July 22 to learn more about Lyster Army Health Clinic, its people, and its mission supporting Army Aviation. Brig. Gen. Jamie Burk, Commanding General of MRC, East, and Command Sgt. Maj. Alex Poutou, the command’s Senior Enlisted Advisor, met with leaders from the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence (AVCOE), Lyster Army Health Clinic, Brown Dental Clinic, and other Fort Rucker medical facilities.
The visit focused on Lyster’s unique role in ensuring aviator medical readiness throughout their career – from initial flight physicals to ongoing care.
“Ensuring Army aviators are cleared to fly and keeping them flying throughout training by minimizing down-time from injury or illness is critical to keeping trainees on track to graduation and into operational units,” said Burk. “Lyster has solved the issue with the Flight Surgeon of the Day program.”
The Flight Surgeon of the Day or FSOD program minimizes appointment wait times to see a provider, resulting in a significant improvement in return-to-duty rates.
Lt. Col. Leah Steder, commander of Lyster Army Health Clinic, remarked, “We’ve reorganized and implemented Flight Surgeon of the Day program here at Lyster Army Health Clinic to fundamentally shift how we deliver care. By prioritizing immediate access and a patient-first approach, we’re not just treating injuries – we’re actively investing in the readiness and well-being of our aviators. The Flight Surgeon of the Day program isn’t a new concept – it’s a proven model successfully used in operational forces. Reduced wait times translate directly into faster recovery and a quicker return to duty. Previously, extended wait times for our patients on flight status presented a challenge to maintaining optimal readiness. This program directly addresses that, streamlining access to care and accelerating the return-to-duty process. It’s a win for both our personnel and the mission.”
During the visit, Lt. Col. Leah Steder briefed Brig. Gen. Burk and Command Sgt. Maj. Poutou on the clinic’s efforts to maintain aviator medical readiness, clinical operations, and overall unit readiness. The MRC, East leadership team observed firsthand how Lyster’s staff executes its critical mission.
The day began with a joint physical readiness training session alongside Soldiers from Lyster Army Health Clinic, Brown Dental Clinic, and AVCOE leadership, reinforcing the importance of physical fitness in delivering consistent, high-quality medical care.
An aerial tour of Fort Rucker, provided by AVCOE, offered the MRC, East leaders a broader perspective on the installation’s scope and the intensity of the aviation training mission. This flight underscored the vital role of Army Medicine in sustaining Army Aviation readiness.
The visit by the MRC, East leadership team also included a Leader Professional Development (LPD) session with medical components on the installation and coin presentations to key staff members.
Lyster Army Health Clinic remains dedicated to providing comprehensive medical care for Army Aviators, their Families, and the military retiree population, upholding the legacy of Brigadier General Theodore Lyster, considered the “Father of Aviation Medicine.” As Brigadier General Lyster stated, “It is one thing to build machines and train men to fly them, but another to maintain these men and machines in the air by the constant supervision necessary. This is a far-reaching problem which is imminently involved in the evolution of the Air Service and largely falls upon the Medical Service to keep these fliers at their greatest efficiency.”
For more information on the services offered by Lyster Army Health Clinic, please visit: https://lyster.tricare.mil
| Date Taken: | 07.22.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.25.2025 15:56 |
| Story ID: | 543888 |
| Location: | ALABAMA, US |
| Web Views: | 57 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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