Grissom doctors moonlight for NASA

Published March 6, 2007
By Tech. Sgt. Doug Hays
434th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- Think your job is cool? If you want to keep thinking that maybe you shouldn't talk to Lt. Col. (Dr.) Scott Phillips or Maj. (Dr.) Greg Pinnell, both from the 434th Aerospace Medicine Squadron here.

The two Air Force Reserve Command doctors work for NASA as part of a 30-member medical rescue team for Space Shuttle missions. As a result, they have a front row seats to the action.

"We're there in case a survivable mishap occurs," Colonel Phillips said. "We can be there to rescue and treat the astronauts."

"It's an awesome job!" Major Pinnell added.

Colonel Phillips, a native of Logansport, Ind., is the current senior member of the team.

He joined the program in 1998 following an active-duty tour with a special operations unit.

"I had most of the training already, so it was an easy transition for me," he said.

For Major Pinnell, a Saginaw, Mich., resident, it wasn't quite as easy.

"When I first met [Colonel Phillips] I told him one of my dreams was to work with NASA," he said. "His response was 'have I got a deal for you,'" he added with a laugh.

Major Pinnell applied for the position, but was originally turned down for it.

"I was able to talk my way into the job anyway," he said drawing a laugh from the colonel.

"They asked me why I thought they should reconsider, and I said have a seat and I started talking."

It worked.

The next day he got a call telling him to have orders cut to come attend training.

"The funny part is I already had the orders cut beforehand," he said. "I forgot to have them cancelled, so I was all set!"

Participants must have survival training and advanced cardiac and life support training.

Both reservists hope they never have to use their training but they maintain preparedness.

Even though the team consists of 30 members from throughout the country, not everyone is assigned to work a take off or a landing.

"The amount of missions you work is based on your ability and drive to say 'yes' when asked," Colonel Phillips said.

He has worked 10 take off and landings during his tenure with the program. Major Pinnell has worked seven missions.

"I'm trying to catch up!" he joked.

The two have had an opportunity to work together on occasion, and both said that their friendship and working relationship they have here at Grissom show when they are together.

"We're able to know what each other is thinking at various times," Colonel Phillips said.

"It's almost scary," chimed in Major Pinnell.

During one recent mission, the major had radio trouble, and Colonel Phillips sensed that something was wrong and took action.

"I knew he'd realize what was going on, and he did," Major Pinnell added.

The shuttle program plans to have five launches this year, a number that both seem to think is more than will actually happen, but they do hope to work together again in July on a shuttle landing.

Until then, the two flight surgeons will be at Grissom, working in the clinic and performing physicals on unit training assemblies and both may deploy to Turkey this spring in support of air expeditionary force taskings. (Air Force Reserve Command News Service)