Medically Unfit Being Deployed?

[allan]

Medically unfit being deployed?

By Tony Lombardo - Staff writer

Posted : Tuesday Mar 31, 2009 16:33:47 EDT

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/03/army_medical_deployment_033109w/

Conflicting policies, inaccurate records, and uninformed commanders and medical providers all could play a role in the Army’s deployment of soldiers medically unfit to serve, according to an Army inspector general’s report.

It was obtained Monday by Army Times through a Freedom of Information Act request.

Report at: http://www.militarytimes.com/static/projects/pages/IGreport.pdf

The report is a response to “numerous Congressional inquiries, media releases and complaints from soldiers and veteran organizations regarding the growing perception that the Army is deploying soldiers to Iraq and Afghanistan who are medically unfit,” the executive summary states.

Army Secretary Pete Geren called for an inspection of the Army’s medical deployment process June 18. Seven inspectors general and a team including representatives from Army G-1, Army Medical Command, the National Guard and the Army Reserve conducted the inspection.

The inspection team conducted interviews with more than 1,600 leaders, medical providers, soldiers and civilians, and visited 24 installations.

The 10-page executive summary of the report, released Monday to Army Times, includes the following comments concerning problem areas:

• “The number of policies currently in existence increases the likelihood that soldiers who do not meet medical deployment requirements may be deployed in violation of one or more policies.”

• “Our interviews indicated that many commanders and medical providers were simply unaware of crucial Army regulation updates and Combatant Command, medical guidance from CENTCOM.”

• “In potential cases where commanders and medical providers may disagree, Army regulation provides no clear resolution process.”

• “The inspection team confirmed the widespread use of the Army mandated Medical Protection System to track the medical readiness of soldiers; however, the data in the system is not always timely or accurate.”

While the inspector general’s full report has not been released, you can read the entire executive summary here.

Tell us your story

Were you deployed even though you were suffering from a medical condition? Did you experience first-hand any of the problems outlined by the inspector general’s report? Army Times would like to hear your story.

Please email: tlombardo@militarytimes.com

e-mail Deputy News Editor Tony Lombardo.

"Keep on, Keepin' on"

Dan Cedusky, Champaign IL "Colonel Dan"

See my web site at:

http://www.angelfire.com/il2/VeteranIssues/

[sixthscents]

Let me tell you, I saw case after case of medically unfit soldiers deploying on back to back tours. I have a friend who did 6 tours with less than 4 months between them normally. Now he was a commo guy for special ops - but still this seemed insane to me. The last 2 deployments there is no WAY he was fit, I have seen his medical records. Yet they needed his MOS desperatly so, they sent him. If the Army has to send a half blind soldier with massive PTSD issues to fill a slot and thats all they have for it - he or she is gonna go. It's as simple as that and i think we can probably say we have all seen instances of this. The mission before all, should be the Army's motto. It's just the way it has always been, this is nothing new. Soldiers are tolf to suck it up and drive on. Yet we wonder why our retention rates are so unstable that they have to do "magic math" to make them look good (I have seen this again and again, and helped do the magic math myself). We are destroying our Army. I was taught that if you fought a battle and won, but took 20% casualties you lost in reality - our Army is less than 80% combat effective right now simply due to rotation delays etc.... much less injuries or illnesses - schools, training etc. It is a "broken force", and desperatly needs a reduction in deployment numbers. Hopefully this is coming soon.

[john999]

I don't know if they are doing it now but during Vietnam the judges would tell some felon that they could either join the Army or Marines or go to prison. When their is a war going on the military will do whatever is necessary to get bodies for the machine. For instance, I don't know of anyone in my basic company that actually failed at the rifle range or the PT test. All were passed so they could go to Vietnam.

[purple]

When I was going thru my MEB process, (I was an E-6 in an admin career field), there was a Captain (fighter pilot) also going thru the MEB process--or trying to. You see, I was fighting my MEB, I wanted to stay in the AF and knew I was being unfairly discharghed. The Captain was begging for an MEB. He had leukemia. He wanted to spend time with his wife & children while going through chemo...but the AF wanted him on "flight status". It was horrible. It was so sad. We all know about the "needs of the military coming first" and all; but OMG the guy had cancer!!!

He and I talked quite a bit. I don't know what ever came of him.

As far as the "jail or military".....LMAO...this is how my ex ended up in the Army at 17. His mother signed him over to the Army to keep him out of prison for auto theft. And no, I didn't know this until it was too late....oh, long story folks, long story. BTW, he was dishonorably discharged for attacking his CO. Found out that too late also.

[akwidow]

a local soldier was sent to jail for fighting another deployment....

http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/738388.html

[bbknor]

I was deployed 2 weeks after my MEB board to the Gulf in 1990, also an E-6 11B.Funny thing is I never heard what was determined. Only time I heard anything negative was when the Colonel saw me at CAmp Eagle II and ask wha the hell I was doing here. My reply was what? His answer was too late now. Had a good time though. Learned the life of a dry land trotise was about.

Edited April 2, 2009 by bbknor