FORT RUCKER, Ala. – While many calls come into Lyster Army Health Clinic each day, one recently stood out: a call from Dave Ehlers, the great-grandson of Brig. Gen. Theodore Lyster, the clinic's namesake.
Ehlers, traveling in the area, noticed a sign for Fort Rucker and seized the opportunity to see the clinic named after his great-grandfather. “When I realized, we're near Fort Rucker, I knew I needed to at least try to reach out and see if we could stop by,” he said.
After a quick call to the clinic's public affairs office, arrangements were made. Ehlers, who had heard stories of his great-grandfather’s accomplishments, was eager to finally visit the clinic.
The family connection to aviation runs deep. Ehlers, an Air Force veteran and reservist, has been flying since he was 15 and received his private pilot's license at 17. “I love flying, and I loved flying in the military, teaching flying in the military, and focusing on flight safety.”
Lyster Army Health Clinic’s command team escorted Ehlers around the facility, sharing historic photographs and introducing him to staff, emphasizing how the clinic continues Brig. Gen. Lyster's mission of caring for the aviation community. “It was an honor to stop by and actually see in person Lyster Army Health Clinic and meet the amazing people here who keep this facility running,” stated Ehlers.
Ehlers’ visit to the clinic, filled with personal reflections and a shared sense of military heritage, offered a unique perspective on the legacy of service and medical innovation preserved within its walls. “Throughout my own military flight career, working with flight surgeons and saying, 'Yes, my great-grandfather was the first flight surgeon,' it's just a great feeling. The importance of what he did, to try to keep pilots alive and make sure they were medically ready to fly, was critical for what he did for the military.”
Lt. Col. Leah Steder, clinic commander, stated, “It was an extraordinary honor to have Mr. Ehlers visit. Knowing his personal understanding of the demands placed on aviators made his visit even more meaningful. Maintaining the medical fitness of our aviators is complex and we’re committed to upholding the standards of excellence that Brig. Gen. Lyster embodied, and ensuring our aviators are medically ready to fly. Our care keeps them in the air!”
History: Brig. Gen. Theodore Lyster
Lyster, a U.S. Army physician, entered the Army as a private and hospital steward in June 1898. He received his medical degree from the University of Michigan in 1899 and later became the first Chief Surgeon, Aviation Section, Signal Corps, U. S. Army. His pioneering work in aviation medicine earned him the title “Father of Aviation Medicine”.
Lyster once 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."
To learn more about Lyster Army Health Clinic, visit https://lyster.tricare.mil .