Are you medically ready?

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Tracy L. Monahan
  • 934 ASTS commander
Are you medically ready? This statement can mean a bunch of different things but for us as Reserve members I'm referring to your capability to be world-wide qualified and ready to go, medically!

The most important responsibility YOU have is to keep your Individual Medical Readiness (IMR) current!  What is IMR you ask?  IMR is comprised of the following items: 
Dental: good for 12 months.  Every third year you see the military dentist.  The years in between you see your civilian dentist and turn in a DD Form 2813
Preventive Health Assessment (PHA):  good for 12 months.  A long PHA is required every three years (age based).  The two years in between is dependent on the results of the yearly WEBHA

Immunizations:  Not being current on any of these will make you overdue. The flu vaccine is required every year. Tdap/TD is required every 10 years; Hep B one time requirement (3 shot series); Hep A-one time requirement (2 shot series); Varicella, Polio,  MMR-required when entering the Air Force.  When deploying, additional vaccines are required

Labs: One time requirement of: G6PD, Blood type, HGB-S and DNA.  HIV testing is required every 2 years and NET 120 of deployment and within 30 days post-deployment

Eyes:  those who require eye glasses, there's a one-time requirement that gas mask inserts be ordered
Being overdue on any ONE of these items will make a member "red" and will be considered not world-wide qualified and placed in a no points, no pay status until the overdue items have been accomplished.

Each of these elements is tracked monthly and reported to AFRC.  Medical readiness affects your squadron's Status of Resources and Training (SORTS) and our wing's capability to do its mission.  AFRC's overall IMR goal last year was 80%.  Thanks to your attention to medical readiness, the 934th   consistently met this goal.  Thank you!!                             

Effective June 2015, AFRC set a new overall IMR goal of 85%.    It's imperative we stay on top of our medical requirements in order to meet this goal.
Each squadron has an assigned Unit Health Monitor (UHM).  These people are a great resource and your liaison to ASTS.  They are trained and ready to assist you in a variety of ways (scheduling ASTS appointments/follow-ups, notifying you when your WebHA is due, tracking due/overdue IMR and clinical services, etc...).

What's your role? 
Each ARC member is responsible for promptly (within 72 hrs.) reporting an illness, injury, disease, operative procedure or hospitalization not previously reported to his or her commander or supervisor, and supporting medical facility personnel IAW AFI 36-2910. Any concealment or claim of disability made with the intent to defraud the government results in possible legal action and possible discharge from the ARC.   (AFI 48-123 10.4.2)

Each ARC member will monitor and maintain currency of his/her IMR requirements. IMR status can be monitored using MyIMR at https://imr.afms.mil/imr/myIMR.aspx  (ARC may also use ARCNet).

Other good reminders:
Injuries - Do not directly send members to the VA if you think medical care is required. Send them to the ASTS first, as we are the only ones that can generate the necessary paperwork to send a member to the VA.  Of course, for emergencies, dial 911.

Profiles - Before you can be seen by a Military Provider you need to provide documentation from your private provider that states diagnosis, prognosis and type of restrictions to include: fitness and duty restrictions, as well as length of time. Your UHM then schedules an appointment for the following UTA.

I would be remiss without mentioning the standard public service announcement...Don't smoke, drink, or do drugs.  Get plenty of sleep, eat healthy and exercise!  All of these will enhance your sustained medical readiness! 
Medical requirements can be confusing and hard to keep up with....we are here to assist you! 

For further questions about being medically ready, please contact your UHM.  The ASTS medical ARTs, Senior Master Sgt. Becky Hanson and Master Sgt. Kara Wrolstad, or any of our staff, are also available to assist you. 

Live well.