Flight med at Eglin? IM at Keesler?

[Informer]

Has anyone done any ADT's here? Any hints?
Also, as a flight med, will i get close to some F-15's at Eglin?

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[brentunc]

I did flight med at Eglin in June. Let me tell you that the surrounding area of Eglin is absolutely stunning. I flew twice in an F15 and once in a tanker. In order to fly, you have to have water survival training and an chamber card. Both of these things are free, but are only offered once a month. The chamber flight is actually done at Tyndal, so you need transportation (I brought a car down there). Once you have these two things done, then you have to take paperwork to the heads of command at the respective squadrons and ask to be allowed to fly. The F15 squadrons are fairly nice about it. After all of this is done, then you are allowed to pester them every day and try to fly. On top of this, every three days you need egress training done (it only takes 30 minutes, but it is a pain to find someone to do it). The great thing is that the docs want you to fly. The bad thing is that no one really helps you get the stuff done. The above stuff (especially the paperwork) always takes longer than expected - someone could be on leave, etc. Try to get the things done before you go if you have a base nearby. If not, I would call Tyndal first and find out when they offer the course. It does not make sense to show up for a four week elective only to find out the chamber course is offered in the last week that you are there! Let me know if you have other questions.

 

[YellowRose]

Brentunc,

Could you please explain more about what the water survival training and chamber card is. for instance, what types of things do you need to do for the water survival training, and are you wearing bulky equipment (backpacks, boots, etc), as i am a fairly small female (5'2'') and this will probably drag me down. i'm interested in flight surgery, none the less. also, what is the chamber card? thanks. Yellowrose

 

[brentunc]

The chamber flight is an all day course at Tyndal teaching you about flying and its effects on the body. At the end of the day they put you in an altitude chamber, raise the pressure, and make you take off your mask in order to show you the effects of hypoxia. You receive a card that is valid for one year.

The water survival training is a 3-4 hour course where they spend an hour teaching you about water survival and then throw you in the water to demonstrate it. It was fairly easy. You have to light a flare, swim under a parachute, climb into different life rafts, and then release yourself from your parachute harness as you get drug behind a jet ski. The was the "hardest" part, although everyone was able to do it. The clothing that you wear is your flight suit and some sort of shoes (maybe you should wear water shoes so you don't get weighed down as much). On top of that you wear a parachute harness which weighs 5 lbs or so. Overall, there is not much added weight (the main weight is the waterlogged flight suit).

Again, as I said before, regardless of your interest in flight medicine, I would recommend this course to everyone. You get to go to easily one of the most beautiful beaches on the east coast during the weekends and fly in F15s during the weeekdays - What could be any better?

 

[Informer]

im actually doing Flight med as a non-ADT, so i doubt i'll be issued a flight suit or anything. Do you think that may change things a little?

 

[brentunc]

Are you doing it at Eglin? They have a drawer full of old flight suits - nothing official. You just reach your hand in and pull one out. I assume that as long as you are working with them then you will probably be allowed to grab one. One thing though, make sure when asked at the squadrons that you say that you are interested in flight medicine (even if you are not). The reason why they want to fly you as a medical student is to get you used to flying. However, if you tell them that you want to do Ortho and no flight medicine, they could care less about giving you a flight. Best of luck and make sure to head to the beaches in Destin while you are there.

 

[Informer]

haha, i've wanted to a be a flight surgeon all along!! its the most awesome job in the world!! I want to be a career flight surgeon and if i can, i'd love to work with AFSOC too!

 

[doc4sure]

I'm also interested in the Keesler part of Informer's question. Anybody been there done that? I'm mainly looking at their IM and EM.
Any info appreciated

 

[Informer]

Oh, i forgot, I happen to wear glasses (though i do have contacts)

will this pose any problems?

 

[brentunc]

My initial reaction is that glasses/contacts will not be a problem. They never said that I could not wear contacts.

 

[mumiitroll]

wow, does only air force offer such a cool course to summer med students or navy has the same thing?