"why would Killian be ordering to take a physical when the deadline was not even near?"
I've wondered about that inconsistency too. One possible explanation would be that Lt. Bush had not taken his physical by the end of the month of his birthday the year before. If he was 10 months overdue, it would account for an urgent memo and a direct order to take care of it ASAP. I think the whole controversy is a crock, but does anyone have info on when he last did take a physical?
If he really had been ten months overdue for his flight physical, he would have already been grounded many months earlier.