European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 22, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Daily a Magazine or. Colleen Annas climbing into Lite rear cockpit of an fisal Soe Lerberg a. A Toff Ioco Strong personalities so i can have a Strong personality  routine physicals Are also part of flight surgeon Annes Job. Flight surgeon Colleen Annes a doctor who gets to Fly by Wendy Bourland Stalf writer after instructing to Palicot to strip Down. The doctor walked from the examining room into an adjoining office a minute or iwo had gone by when a patient spoke up do you want my suit Olf yes the doctor called Hack. Another minute. Do you want my to shirt of yes was the reply. Silence Ihen do you want me to take my Bools o 1v at his Point the doctor ran out of patience. I m not arguing this piece by piece shouted or. Capt Colleen Annes 29, flight surgeon Lof the 32nd tac fighter so. To the f-15 Pilot in her examining room Al Soe Lerberg a in the Netherlands gel Down to your shorts Annes is not a shrinking Violet. Pills have Strong personalities she said Green eyes twinkling behind Silver rimmed glasses so i can have a Strong personality too Annes is the physician to the 40 pilots in the Squadron to airmen on flying status which includes air Crew members air traffic controllers and navigators and to their families. She is a specialist in those health problems unique to pilots such As ear. Nose and Throat Dilli bullies caused by aircraft pressure vertigo and dizziness. Annes also knows about heart problems and performs psychological evaluations of Pilot candidates. A might surgeon can ground a Pilot temporarily or permanently for physical or menial he ally reasons As a result the flight surgeon can Lind it difficult to earn the Trust of the people whose jobs and happiness depend on his or her evaluation. But Annes believes it s essential to earn pistols Trust you have to work on building a rapport with them she said. Al Best you re going to break even if you say they can still Fly Bui they May think they have a cold and i step Tolotea by Lynda w. Sparks know it s something Ese and they May not get to  she paused. They be got to Trust  Annes own Hopes for becoming an air Force Pilot were dashed when she discovered she needed perfect vision. Candidates wearing glasses need not apply. She decided to be an air Force doctor instead and began her medical training Al the military medical school in Bethesda my. From there she went to Lackland fab in san Antonio Texas for a surgery internship. There she Learned that there were also flight surgeons and she decided to become one. A doctor who gets Lof a i said i la Lake thai  in a break with tradition Annes was allowed logo through the seven week Light surgeon school at Lackland during her senior year of residency. She was one of three women in a class of 100. Of 532 air Force flight surgeons worldwide Only 39 Are women. Annes first assignment was loan f-16 Squadron in Kurt san a. Korea with the 8th tac fighter Wing. Monday september 22, 19b6 she was pleased Wilh the assignment it was wonderful she said it was a Remote base and i Gol close to Iho  stress and homesickness work among the problems affecting the pilots there. Somebody would talk of Home and everyone would Start in she said. But at Christmas Lime we would buy presents Lor the  she laughed fondly remembering big Lough lighter pistols picking out presents for the  Annes is equally pleased with this assignment. I could be Wilh tankers or fighters but i like fighters she said. She is required to Fly in an f-15 at least Lour hours a month a requirement that s More like an adventure to Annes. She has her own flight gear and the pilots keep a Lilloo Stepladder in the locker room so the Small Brunette can reach her helmet which hangs on a Peg above her locker. When flying Annes 3ils in a Back scat of the two seater f-15 d. During the Light she observes Itic stresses of heat cold and flying on the Pilot. Flying with the pilots of the 32nd tac fighter so is usually More fun than treating them when they re sick sometimes it s Tike dealing Wilh children when we Don t see Eye to Eye she said. I have to say Here comes the big Pill. This is for your own  Annes seems to be successful Al balancing Friendship with the pools Wilh her concern about their health. She socialize with some members of the Squadron. Pills and their wives a Tew couples she said. But her friends Are her patients and the pilots Don t forget this. Ever. Flying in t just their jobs. It s their lives. Annes who will never be a fighter Pilot herself understands. The stars and stripes Page 13