Naval Aerospace Medical Institute

The sole Navy source for Aeromedical training at all levels, including Aerospace Medicine residency. NAMI trains more than 240 aeromedical providers, including Aerospace Medicine Technicians (NEC 8406) and all tegories of Aeromedical Officers. The U.S. Army sends their Aerospace Medicine residents through the Navy program. Several foreign military services; including Germany, France, Israel, Canada, Norway and the Netherlands, choose to send their physicians to our Aeromedical Officer training program. NAMI is truly an internationally recognized Center of Excellence.

NAMI is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of the Council on Occupational Education as a Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (MED-05) branch campus and annually trains over 400 U.S. and international students in aerospace fields as varied as primary aerospace medicine, aerospace physiology, aviation experimental psychology, aviation optometry, and aviation physical examination technicians.

The Naval Aerospace Medical Institute Directorate represents the cutting edge of Aerospace Technology. On 19 January 1970, the Laboratory was designated a component command of the Naval Aerospace Medical Institute, under an Officer-in-Charge, and a modification was made in the mission of the Institute. Effective 1 July 1974, the Institute became a command directly under the newly formed Naval Health Sciences Education and Training Command. At the same time, the Naval Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory, a component of the Institute, became a separate command under the Naval Research and Development Command. On 1 April 1981, the Naval Aerospace Medical Institute became an Echelon Three Command, reporting directly to the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery. At the time of the designation of the Institute as an Echelon Three Command, a new and broadened mission was assigned as follows: "To provide professional and technical support and consultative services in operationally related Fleet and Fleet Marine Force medical matters worldwide; to conduct education and training programs for Medical Department personnel in the various operational medical disciplines; and to manage, coordinate, and provide selected operational programs and services in support of the Operating Forces as directed by higher authority."

On 7 December 1992, the Secretary of the Navy authorized the official name of the Institute to be changed on the Naval Aerospace Operational Medical Institute. This name change was authorized to reflect more accurately the mission and functions of the Command as a resource serving all naval warfare specialty communities. On 17 December 1996, the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery authorized the Naval Aerospace Operational Medical Institute (NAOMI) to change its name to Naval Operational Medicine Institute (NOMI). The new name more accurately represents the vision and daily actions of this command which now reach far beyond the aviation origins of the Institute. Additionally, the new name equitably distributes NOMI training and consultative services for all warfare communities.

NAMI's responsibilities are huge in scope but very focused. Simply put, we make sure that Medical Personnel receive the best possible training in all fields of Aerospace Medicine can be, and determine that a person is best qualified for their task.

NAMI reviews or conducts aviation physical examinations on all U.S. Navy and Marine Corps aviation candidates. In addition all flight physicals requiring submission, i.e. every five years or as dictated by a waiver of physical standards, are reviewed by NAMI Code 342 to ensure safety of flight and compliance with physical standards.

NAMI provides recommendations for BUMED Aeromedical policy through the Aeromedical Advisory Council. Unique cases are considered by the Special Board of Flight Surgeons.

NAMI provides support for Naval Hospital Pensacola through direct activity of all NAMI providers in NHP facilities. In addition, NAMI provides for the administration of Hyperbaric Oxygen treatment for NHP referrals, resulting in major savings in network referral costs.

NAMI Code 342 Operational Psychology develops and maintains the Aviation Selection Test Battery, employed by Chief of Naval Aviation Training and Navy Recruiting Command, to optimize selection of aviation candidates and minimize attrition. Modifications, including the development and implementation of web‐based technology (APEX) for administration of the ASTB and reporting of test results are estimated to have saved over two million dollars to date. Continued activity in the development of performance based measures will further enhance the effectiveness of the ASTB.