Medical officer earns civilian optometry award

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Jason Schaap
  • 931st ARG Public Affairs
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --  Capt. (Dr.) Chad Thompson, the 931st Aerospace Medicine Squadron's chief of optometry, has been named the 2009 Young Optometrist of the Year by the Kansas Optometric Association.

The award, according to an Association release, "recognizes optometrists in practice for less than 10 years who have demonstrated outstanding involvement in their community and the optometric profession."

Captain Thompson is a busy man. He and his wife, Sheila, have two children, 4-year-old Phillip Benjamin and 2-year-old Sophia. He's a traditional Reservist and full-time optometrist at his private practice in his hometown of Beloit, Kan. He has served three terms on the Beloit City Council, is a steering committee member for the Mitchell County Partnership for Children and is active in the Beloit Lions Club.

"I'm nothing special," he humbly insisted. "Sacrifice is something all Reservists do. Everyone from (the rank of) airman to colonel has that same type of commitment."

Captain Thompson has been balancing family, work, community and military life since he joined the 931st in 2004. "I always had an interest in the military," he said, and an internship at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., before he graduated optometry school in 1999 left him with a growing eagerness to join.

So he "just got on the phone day" and called a recruiter about becoming an active-duty optometrist.

Ever think about keeping your private practice, the recruiter asked him, and fulfilling your desire to serve in the Reserve?
"I didn't know that (option) existed," Dr. Thompson responded before agreeing to explore the suggestion more with a visit to the 931st ARG. "I took one trip down here to the clinic and now here I sit."

Lt. Col. Cheryl Hooper, his squadron commander, was not surprised to hear her optometry chief earned an award for personal dedication. He's been a valuable asset to the 931st, she said, eliminating patient wait times and increasing patient capacity by 200 percent.

"He also developed a plan which decreased distribution time of flight glasses by 50 percent," she added, "which immediately increased flight readiness by over 25 percent."

Being a successful Airman is important to Captain Thompson. So is his commitment to his patients, his fellow Airmen, his community, and his family. That's why he is an Optometrist of the Year.

"I believe, if you are going to do something, you need to do it well," he said. "(You) have to commit to making your little part of the world a better place."


See the Video
Click here to see a YouTube video of Capt. (Dr.) Thompson on the job (note:YouTube may not be accessible when using a government computer).