Photo By 2nd Lt. Jason Pannell | Capt. Luke Fennell, a 336th Fighter Squadron flight surgeon, listens to the heartbeat...... read more read more
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SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. – For the F-15E Strike Eagle aircrews of the 4th Fighter Wing, the readiness to execute the mission of “F-15 Airpower for America” is generated and sustained in the patient care rooms of the base’s Flight Medicine clinic.
The Thomas Koritz Clinic is home to a specialized medical team tasked with a critical role: ensuring the human components of the F-15E are as maintained as the aircraft they fly.
“We are here to ensure mission readiness from the medical aspect,” said Master Sgt. Sarah Thompson, flight medicine flight chief. “Aircrew must be in peak physical and mental condition before they step on the flight line.”
The clinic's capabilities extend beyond those of a typical family health practice. While providing primary care for flight-qualified Airmen, the Flight Medicine clinic focuses on care that is tailored to the unique demands of aviation.
This includes conducting special duty physicals, managing medical waivers for flight status, and responding to in-flight (IFE) or ground emergencies (GE).
The physicians who conduct these tasks, also called flight surgeons, are medical doctors who specialize in treating the distinct physiological challenges that come with flying F-15Es at Seymour Johnson AFB.
“Some examples of unique challenges to our flyers include things like hypoxia and decompression illness,” said Capt. Luke Fennell, 336th Fighter Squadron flight surgeon. “Special medical training from institutions like the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine help us recognize these issues and prevent them from occurring.”
With a shared understanding of operational mission demands at Seymour Johnson AFB, the partnership between flight surgeons and aircrews is also unique.
“Being embedded with a fighter squadron is an incredible way to get involved on the operational side,” Fennell said. “To learn more about the physical tolls our flyers go through, I’ll be able to fly sometimes too.”
Ready to spring into action at a moment's notice are the clinic's Flight and Operational Medical Technicians, or FOMTs. When they are not assisting flight surgeons with routine medical encounters, these Airmen are the first medical responders for any IFE or GE.
“During an IFE or GE, we move fast,” said Staff Sgt. Aniscia Roberson, 4th Medical Group medical technician. “We grab the AED, get to our ambulance and get to the flight line in no more than five minutes from notification.”
This sentiment captures the unique pressure and reward of the job. Technicians are certified as Emergency Medical Technicians and are experts in everything from basic life support to Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC).
“We’re able to take care of patients inside and outside of a clinical setting,” Roberson said. “As long as we’re here, flyers can fly and the mission gets done.”
By guaranteeing the health and wellness of every aviator at Seymour Johnson AFB, the Flight Medicine clinic ensures the 4th Fighter Wing mission is always ready to be accomplished.
| Date Taken: | 02.06.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 02.11.2026 10:50 |
| Story ID: | 557915 |
| Location: | NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 26 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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