Posted on Jul 20, 2021
If a service member has bariatric surgery while in the Reserves, will that SM receive a med board?
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61J: General Surgeon
Medical Board
Posted 3 y ago
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OK... I'm obviously missing something here. Bariatric surgery is for people who are morbidly obese. I understand Reserves aren't meeting everyday and all that, but even then, how does a service member get to that point without being chaptered for the body composition program? Surely someone is noticing their rotundness at monthly drills, right?
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CPO Arthur Weinberger
Not today; obesity is prolific in our active and reserve military. Obviously many senior personnel are ignoring this!
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SFC Casey O'Mally
CPO Arthur Weinberger For my last 6 years or so, I was always right on the border for allowable body fat. I taped under, but usually by 0 or 1%. Sometimes 2%, but not more than that. Since retirement, I have put on 50 pounds while also losing muscle mass because I no longer exercise. And I am STILL not a candidate for bariatric surgery.
As far as I can conceive, this is more than simply "ignoring" the problem. People would have to be actively covering it up. Even if that team leader or 1SG or Company Commander doesn't care, SOMEONE will. And when they see that obese Soldier, they are going to start asking questions.
As far as I can conceive, this is more than simply "ignoring" the problem. People would have to be actively covering it up. Even if that team leader or 1SG or Company Commander doesn't care, SOMEONE will. And when they see that obese Soldier, they are going to start asking questions.
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CPO Arthur Weinberger
SFC Casey O'Mally - I would hope so. However I sometimes shop at Patrick Space Force Base. We have many persons from all branches that on active duty and thirty or more lbs. overweight.
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SGT (Join to see) Bariatric surgery of 30 + years ago dictated periodic, carefully monitored blood testing. Minimally monitored, it has led to liver complications, eg: Cirrhosis.
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I'm really dated, but when I had a tour at NRMC Camp Pendleton (hospital), these surgeries were routinely performed on SMs for which other solutions just weren't solutions. They got the MIL covered LOD surgery, healed up, and went on from there. This would have been '83-85 timeframe. Unless things have greatly changed, Med Boards are interested in conditions that inhibit your ability to perform MIL duties or deploy.
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CAPT Kevin B.
One perspective. Another would be the Service spent $100K to create a good performing E-5. Do you spend $5K to keep them, or toss and start over. From what I can tell, it was and continues to be a business decision. One thing Command taught me. Focus on making business decisions that the Regs support and you'll be miles ahead.
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