Posted on Mar 25, 2019
PO1 Bill Adams
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This grandpa is bummed and upset.

Bummed because my granddaughter has been injured in boot camp, several fractures in knee and ankle. She is in Separation Ship, awaiting time to come home.

Upset because she’s telling us she is recieving no medical care, not even an asprin. Hard for me to belive or accept.

She tells us she can try again in 6 months.

What advice should I give her? What does she need to know?

I can’t do much right now, can’t even contact her except through mail.
Posted in these groups: Hqdefault Boot Camp
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1SG Civil Affairs Specialist
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I think, my dear old sea salt, that there is more to the story.
I am extremely dubious that she is not receiving care or pain suppression.
I think you know this, though.
What is important for grandpa to do is be supportive, get enough details to give sound advice, and encourage her to heal and get back in the fight.
Do you have the means to pay her a visit? It might be illuminating.
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SSG(P) James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" - Aw... now I will never find out where this trolling will go.
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SFC Casey O'Mally
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SFC Casey O'Mally - Methinks the good PFC might have had a close encounter with a chapter, and decided that this forum was a place to vent about it. Who knows, really?
Haters gotta hate, I guess.
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SPC Medical Specialist
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Sounds like you are not being told the whole story or she doesn't know the whole story. If she was permanent party and out of training, she might have more support from an advisor. Make sure your granddaughter gathers up as much documentation as she can get a hold of especially medical records. Medical records are much harder to get your hands on after being separated. Don't depend on the VA to have them. Records have a way of disappearing. I've proven that many times. I don't know much about this new military so if they are available online I would get them while she still has access if she does. Also after discharge, pay attention to the separation code.
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SGT Ben Keen
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My wife sort of went through the same thing last summer. She injured her ankle in Week 3 going into Week 4. After a few weeks of going back and forth, the doctors finally said she needed surgery. But prior to that they just had her in a walking boot and stuff. When it came time to decide on the surgery we had to make the call on if we wanted the Army to do it or to sign the AMA and just have her come home and we would get it done back home. Honestly, at first, I told her to get it done by the military but then when they said she would have to rehab in the barracks and we wouldn't be able to fly down to see her, I told her to sign the AMA. She came back home and we found out the doctors were not exactly spot on with their treatment. The doctor back here changed her diagnosis and 2 weeks after getting home she got a cyst removed from her ankle. The Army docs were saying she just sprained it. She spent 2 weeks after surgery not having the ability to walk or really do anything. Thankfully, my boss knew what was happening and I worked from home for two weeks to take care of her.

I guess that is the long way of me telling you the advice I would give her is to make sure she gets a copy of all her medical records BEFORE clearing. Then, go see a private medical professional within days of getting back. And the advice I would give you, which you probably already know, is to not talk down about her not completing training because of the injury. Be the supportive grandpa and just reminder that where one door closes, another opens.
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LtCol Robert Quinter
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Grandpa to Grandpa, I ran an Orthopaedic medical practice for eight years. While that certainly doesn't make me medically qualified in any way, I do know that once the bones are set, it's a waiting game. If she suffered some simple fractures, the docs may be just waiting for the bone to grow enough to make them confident she's OK to send home. Not minimizing your granddaughter's condition, but it is something like watching the grass grow once everything is set up. It's been ten years since any of my kids were active duty, their military medical care was excellent at the time.
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I had a friend who was injured in basic training. They sent him home on convalescent leave then when he recovered he returned to basic. I forget exactly what his injury was and I figured he probably was recycled. This was around 1976 and I believe at Fort Dix. I guess they allowed it. I don't know if they do it anymore. Probably not.

I injured my foot in basic in 1978 so I couldn't take the final PT test. They held me over three weeks. I feared they were going to recycle me and I even asked. So I had a three week vacation at basic training while the new recruits were just starting and mistaking us for officers. Lots of fun duties, but more fun watching the new recruits screw up.
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