вЂњWe evaluated their mobility and amount of pain associated with movements in the assessment, and found that 100 percent of the Airmen evaluated were stiff in the upper back, 92 percent had poor neck coordination and 62 percent had poor shoulder coordination.вЂќД«oom operators work in a distinctive environment, so the HPC teams also performed an analysis of the boom pods, where these Airmen perform their duties. John Tonarelli, 92nd Medical Operation Squadron Physical Therapy Flight commander. вЂњWe lined up 13 boomers and performed head-to-toe 360 degree evaluations,вЂќ said Maj. So being aware of this risk, it needed to be addressed.вЂќДЇairchildвЂ™s HPC physical therapy team conducted a head-to-toe movement assessment on the inflight refueling specialists to find any motor control restrictions and the results showed similarities between each Airman evaluated. вЂњThe amount of time these Airmen spend in a prone position with their necks pushed back during a refueling mission puts them at a higher risk of having upper back and neck issues. вЂњWe see inflight refueling as a unique career field,вЂќ Saultes said. Team FairchildвЂ™s Human Performance Cell has taken notice of the physical issues that boom operators face, and created an initiative that aims to provide these Airmen with tools to minimize the strain and discomfort their bodies undergo. вЂњA lot of those issues stem from the nature of their job and having to maintain a posture that puts stress on the body.вЂќ

вЂњBooms historically have had a lot of upper back, shoulder and neck issues,вЂќ said William Saultes, 92nd Aerospace Medical Squadron Health Promotion coordinator. Inflight Refueling Specialists, otherwise known as вЂњBoom Operators,вЂќ pay this toll with every mission they undertake. Yet, successfully performing and completing the mission can come with a physical price. AirmenвЂ™s ability to provide responsive air refueling and agile combat support is essential for mission success.

Inflight air refueling team ifart