Most people are not fortunate enough to have an accident clearly dictate their purpose is in life. ForLt. Cmdr. Travis Landry, Senior Medical Officer at the Naval Medical Research Unit (NAMRU) Dayton, this purpose was dictated to him after falling out of a helicopter.
At least in a technical sense. While serving as a 0331 Machine Gunner in the U.S. Marine Corps in 2001, he broke his ankle fast-roping from a helicopter during a training exercise. It took four months for the injury to be properly diagnosed.
“At the time, I said, 'I can do a better job than that,'” he recalls.
That single moment catalyzed a determination to accomplish his goal. After four years in the infantry – “I graduated from the Marine Corps” as he likes to...
05.13.2026 | WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, OHIO, US |
Story by Zachary Wilson
DAYTON, Ohio (May 11, 2026) Lt. Cmdr. Travis Landry provides a capabilities demonstration of the Disorientation Research Device, or Kraken, to Col. Dorinda Mazza, 88th Air Base Wing vice commander, during a visit to Naval Medical Research Unit Dayton. This research directly supports Landry's personal mission to mitigate risks and provide as much safety as possible for forward-deployed service members. NAMRU Dayton, part of Navy Medicine Research & Development, participates in medical research and development efforts dedicated to advancing warfighter lethality by protecting and enhancing health, readiness and performance through cutting-edge toxicology, environmental health and aerospace medical studies. (U.S. Navy photo by Zachary Wilson /Released)
