Retired Soldiers are valued members of the Army family. Fort Rucker showed its appreciation for their service by giving back to those who paved the way for today’s Soldiers during Retiree Appreciation Day events including the Retiree Health Fair. After a two-year hiatus, due to the COVID pandemic, Lyster Army Health Clinic hosted the annual health fair October 28 at Yano Hall.

“We were so pleased to be able to reinitiate this popular annual event. Our Retired Soldiers are immensely important to us and we look for every opportunity to engage with this population,” expressed Lt. Col. Garrett Holt, Lyster Commander. “I had a wonderful time speaking with our retirees about our services, but the leading topic was of course our pharmacy wait times. It was great to garner feedback on the progress we have made and communicate some of the plans to improve our wait times. It is a true privilege to serve the population of our honored Military Retirees in the Wiregrass and I’ll use their feedback we received to further improve their experience both in the pharmacy as well as our health fair.”

Retired Soldiers and family members were able to visit educational booths to talk with medical professionals, get blood pressure checks, and learn about health and wellness programs to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The Commissary and Exchange also offered information on upcoming specials and holiday shopping. Several off post agencies and businesses also participated in the health fair to show their support of military retirees and highlight their services provided in the local community. Participants also had the opportunity to win door prizes and enjoy light refreshments provided by Fort Rucker Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR).

Lyster Army Health Clinic staff were onsite to educate patrons on their various programs, including physical therapy, preventative medicine, behavioral health, managed care, and pharmacy. One of the new initiatives this year included the opportunity to work with the Managed Care team to learn how to use the newly implemented MHS GENESIS Patient Portal platform. Staff were available to help with log in information and navigation of the site.

Several participants relayed their appreciation of the event. Korben Dallas remarked, “I’m having opportunities to connect face to face with TRICARE and VA. I’ve been able to ask questions and walk away with some real answers, so this has been awesome!”

Over 200 Retirees and Family Members visited the health fair. Save the date for next year’s health fair, Friday, October 27, 2023.