More than 200 airmen from RAF Lakenheath, Britain are deployed to the Graf Ignatievo Air Base in Bulgaria to participate in Immediate Response 2006—a trilateral exercise in which flight surgeons and medical technicians help airmen stay healthy for the duration of the training. The team conducts inspections at facilities used by airmen at deployed locations—while also inspecting hotels, restaurants and other facilities for cleanliness. “We try to build a rapport with airmen and their families so they feel comfortable talking to us in case they need a doctor,” said Maj. Lee W. Janson, the 492nd Fighter Squadron medical element flight surgeon.
Air Force depots are not typically meant for quick repair jobs, but during Operation Epic Fury, the service moved some of its stateside heavy maintenance capability forward to fix battle-damaged aircraft closer to the fight.
