WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- In an effort to enhance flight medicine effectiveness, the 445th Airlift Wing is sending Airmen back to school – the US Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine that is.
Upon graduating the three week, in-residence course, aerospace medicine technicians receive a special distinction: an F suffix at the end of their AFSC, 4NOX1. In casual conversation, the Citizen Airman becomes an esteemed “Four Fox.”
“Historically, they were the subject matter experts in the field of aerospace medicine,” says Col. Joseph Lawlor, chief of aerospace medicine in the 445th. “They ran the flight medicine clinic and trained the junior flight doctors. A Four Fox had extensive responsibilities, including knowledge of medical standards, and administratively managing flying class physicals and flying waivers.”
In 1999, the Air Force eliminated this specialization, “much to the disdain of flight surgeons,” he says.
The clinic’s organization and continuity were significantly impacted, and mentorship fizzled out, says Lawlor. “The field of flight medicine and the flight medicine clinic suffered greatly during these dark times.”
Then, in 2012, the Air Force decided to reinstate the program, formally named the Flight and Operational Medical Technician course.
“The goal is to develop a dedicated, competent enlisted force trained to support flight medicine,” Lawlor says.
Senior Airman Adrienne Zizza completed the course in August and became the 445th’s first Four Fox Airman.
“Our leadership presented the opportunity and were looking for someone to take charge, and I volunteered,” says Zizza, who was raised in Italy and England while her mother, now retired, served in the Air Force.
For Airman Zizza, training alongside active duty Airmen was especially beneficial.
“It was good to be there with the active duty and get some pointers and feedback from them,” she says. “A lot of the ways they do things on the active duty side, I tried to soak up and learn so I could bring it back to the 445th.”
Much of the training honed in on the details associated with caring for Airmen who must meet flying requirements, and also included training surrounding technical skills in surgery, optometry, and lab work.
“As a technician, we need to be versed in all those areas,” she says. “It’s rewarding and intense, but there’s a lot of knowledge that comes with it, and I like serving people.”
While Zizza is the first to return from the training, several other Airmen are already scheduled to attend the course and earn their F suffix.
“I really look forward to working with them and working together to make all of us better,” says Zizza. “We needed this.”