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One of my favorite benefits in the Army, right after free college tuition, is our healthcare! How amazing is it to have a job where if you wake up ill or hurt- you can go to the doctor's office (sick call, for FREE) and not worry about a pay cut or your boss flipping out?!? Not to mention, no annoying trips to CVS or Walgreens for your over priced/under insured meds! Bless Tricare!
This is why I am truly saddened when I hear my fellow comrades making fun of soldiers who go and refuse to themselves! Unfortunately, just like every good thing does, we have those violators- the ones who take advantage of sick call. Maybe they want to get out of a ruck, or are too tired from gaming the night before and are hoping for quarters, maybe tiny heart syndrome? As a current medic that has worked in an aid station performing sick call ops - I too am guilty of talking smack about repeated sick call offenders! Was it right? Not at all!
When I hear my battle buddies (male and female) competing in their "I've been in the army for x amount of time and have never gone to sick call" I just laugh to myself. GOOD JOB! You're obviously the toughest and meanest and the most soldier-est (new word) of us all! Lies lies lies! I'm so sick of the stigmas put on sick call. Your health and wellness should be number one in your basic soldiering. Why do you think we recieve the benefit to begin with? Uncle Sam wants the healthiest! (Aka- biannual HIV tests, mandatory PHAs, immunization requirements!)
Everyone gets sick or hurt at some point. It's one of those messed up parts of being human. If you are sick and cannot perform your daily duties because of it, do us all a favor and be seen! The faster you are seen the sooner you can get to feeling better- and the less chance of infecting your entire company or BATTALION! Chronic pains - schedule an appointment, and emergencies go to the ER! That's my take on it. What do you think about our sick call procedures and the stigmas on them?
This is why I am truly saddened when I hear my fellow comrades making fun of soldiers who go and refuse to themselves! Unfortunately, just like every good thing does, we have those violators- the ones who take advantage of sick call. Maybe they want to get out of a ruck, or are too tired from gaming the night before and are hoping for quarters, maybe tiny heart syndrome? As a current medic that has worked in an aid station performing sick call ops - I too am guilty of talking smack about repeated sick call offenders! Was it right? Not at all!
When I hear my battle buddies (male and female) competing in their "I've been in the army for x amount of time and have never gone to sick call" I just laugh to myself. GOOD JOB! You're obviously the toughest and meanest and the most soldier-est (new word) of us all! Lies lies lies! I'm so sick of the stigmas put on sick call. Your health and wellness should be number one in your basic soldiering. Why do you think we recieve the benefit to begin with? Uncle Sam wants the healthiest! (Aka- biannual HIV tests, mandatory PHAs, immunization requirements!)
Everyone gets sick or hurt at some point. It's one of those messed up parts of being human. If you are sick and cannot perform your daily duties because of it, do us all a favor and be seen! The faster you are seen the sooner you can get to feeling better- and the less chance of infecting your entire company or BATTALION! Chronic pains - schedule an appointment, and emergencies go to the ER! That's my take on it. What do you think about our sick call procedures and the stigmas on them?
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Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 29
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OK here is a delicate subject. I have had to go to doctors many times in my years, a LOT of visits due to my TBI, my back and neck injuries, too many times being blown up. The sick call visits though were never really for the everyday things. There are still a lot of things I have to have checked out before I actually leave the Army I know but I DO feel that I set a bad example if I am never around for my platoon as I am the platoon sergeant. I do NOT push that same thing on to my guys though. I monitor how often they go, I monitor the profiles that they get and then I monitor that the activities that they are performing in their off time matches it. An example of this would be that I had a Soldier that had this profile that he could not do any PT at work, he could not wear a ruck, he could basically do nothing, but then he was getting Dive Master certified on his off time. I had to put a stop to that. It is something that is abused so much and so easily that if someone is not monitoring these things, then people WILL abuse them and not think twice about it. Unacceptable, because those at sick call will not monitor it, they do not have the time to do so.
If someone needs to go, I have them go. I want them to heal either from a injury or sickness as soon as possible, but I will not tolerate them malingering in any fashion.
The kicker to this, I have a P2 profile, so I have been there and done that (been to the docs) I only really go there now for a TCON for my med refills or for PHA. I believe that you DO have to have some toughness in you, but not to the detriment of you or your platoon.
If someone needs to go, I have them go. I want them to heal either from a injury or sickness as soon as possible, but I will not tolerate them malingering in any fashion.
The kicker to this, I have a P2 profile, so I have been there and done that (been to the docs) I only really go there now for a TCON for my med refills or for PHA. I believe that you DO have to have some toughness in you, but not to the detriment of you or your platoon.
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I think we called it malingering when I was in the AF. Yes there are those that use the sick call for other than it's intended purpose. As civilian RN I have watched people sit in the ER to get a work excuse for a longer period than they would have had they actually went to their job.
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SrA Marc Haynes
It's actually kind of funny if you think about how many people we could nominate for Darwin Awards we could no
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Awesome to hear. We have just done away with sick call. We have increased access to our clinic through appointments and working closely with command.
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Strong or weak? Depends on the case, if you are using it because you need it and are trying to maintain the proper health then you are being smart and taking care of your self. If you are that troop that goes to get out of pt, rucks, etc....... Pretty weak. Simply because it is "free" doesn't mean you use it every time you get a sniffle or headache. Would you go if you didn't get it free? If you had to pay out of pocket would you go to an ED or Urgent Care?
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Like you said, some people abuse sick call....
There was a young lady at one of my commands who overly used sick call. She ALWAYS found a way to go SIQ on the days her BF (who was also Navy on an aircraft carrier) would come home after some time at sea. I ALWAYS had to stand her duty days because of it! We used to say that she's probably doing some extra "favors" at medical.
I've also had young sailors going to sick call as a way to get out of a PT test. The Navy got wise of that and started telling people that they have X many days to get better and to take the test or else the missed test would be counted as a failure by default.
Then sometimes going isn't worth going at all; a huge waste of time.
Take the time I got food poisoning in Casablanca.
It took two weeks for me to be able to sit and wait to be seen at sick call because of how sick I had gotten. When I was seen, doc told me I was just dehydrated and I needed to drink more water. Really??? When the moment I eat or drink ANYTHING, it comes out the other end?????? Yes, I did say that only to hear once again that I needed to drink more. UGH!
The doctor that relieved that one was MUCH better. I had my coffin locker slam down on my forearm just above the wrist. The new doc not only took care of me, he stopped me in the passageway in front of medical as I was just passing by to do a quick check up on my arm.
But is it a good thing to go because you don't what something minor today to become something major tomorrow. That and you don't want to be an immediate burden for those around you because something that could have been taken care of when it was minor becomes something major at the wrong time.
I almost didn't go to sick call for the arm injury because nothing felt or looked broke just bruised, but I went anyway just in case.
There was a young lady at one of my commands who overly used sick call. She ALWAYS found a way to go SIQ on the days her BF (who was also Navy on an aircraft carrier) would come home after some time at sea. I ALWAYS had to stand her duty days because of it! We used to say that she's probably doing some extra "favors" at medical.
I've also had young sailors going to sick call as a way to get out of a PT test. The Navy got wise of that and started telling people that they have X many days to get better and to take the test or else the missed test would be counted as a failure by default.
Then sometimes going isn't worth going at all; a huge waste of time.
Take the time I got food poisoning in Casablanca.
It took two weeks for me to be able to sit and wait to be seen at sick call because of how sick I had gotten. When I was seen, doc told me I was just dehydrated and I needed to drink more water. Really??? When the moment I eat or drink ANYTHING, it comes out the other end?????? Yes, I did say that only to hear once again that I needed to drink more. UGH!
The doctor that relieved that one was MUCH better. I had my coffin locker slam down on my forearm just above the wrist. The new doc not only took care of me, he stopped me in the passageway in front of medical as I was just passing by to do a quick check up on my arm.
But is it a good thing to go because you don't what something minor today to become something major tomorrow. That and you don't want to be an immediate burden for those around you because something that could have been taken care of when it was minor becomes something major at the wrong time.
I almost didn't go to sick call for the arm injury because nothing felt or looked broke just bruised, but I went anyway just in case.
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During my time in the Air Force, fear of the flight surgeon was real for most aircrew. The fly doc can make you well (common cold, STD, etc.), but he can also take away your flight pay and possibly ruin your career through physical disqualification for flying. Most pilots avoided the flight surgeon like the plague--in fact, plague might be one of the few things a pilot might go to the doctor for. Common aches and pains--no chance. The problem with this behavior is you can endure the early symptoms of something serious for a long time, but when you finally go to the doc he says, "if you'd come to me earlier there's a lot of things we could have done. Now . . . [good news seldom follows]."
Sometimes if you ignore early problems associated with military service, for example, hearing loss, back injury, knee pain, so they are never documented, you'll have a difficult time convincing the VA you have service related disability in later years. I'm blessed to have no serious problems. I passed a flight physical less than 6 months before I retired. Chances to getting disability: zero.
Sometimes if you ignore early problems associated with military service, for example, hearing loss, back injury, knee pain, so they are never documented, you'll have a difficult time convincing the VA you have service related disability in later years. I'm blessed to have no serious problems. I passed a flight physical less than 6 months before I retired. Chances to getting disability: zero.
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I have no issues with someone going to sick call when they are ill. Unfortunately there are more abusive offenders than there are true situations and issues. Too many are abusing the system.
Another issue is that it seems the Doctors are handing the Soldier what they want instead of prescribing the proper diagnosis. Asking the Soldier what they want instead of ordering what they need to do in order to return to full function.
I see a multitude of crazy profiles these days. I personally have some serious injuries which case me a great deal of pain. Unfortunately there is not much that can be done for the situation.
I will say I have had to highly encourage those that do not want to be processed through sick-call.
It almost seems like with all the information out there it is being abused because Soldiers know what to say in order to get out of working. That is the problem I have seen all too often for the last several years.
Another issue is that it seems the Doctors are handing the Soldier what they want instead of prescribing the proper diagnosis. Asking the Soldier what they want instead of ordering what they need to do in order to return to full function.
I see a multitude of crazy profiles these days. I personally have some serious injuries which case me a great deal of pain. Unfortunately there is not much that can be done for the situation.
I will say I have had to highly encourage those that do not want to be processed through sick-call.
It almost seems like with all the information out there it is being abused because Soldiers know what to say in order to get out of working. That is the problem I have seen all too often for the last several years.
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SSG (Join to see)
I do not make assumptions. I have been personally asked what type of profile I wanted. All I want when I do go is to get better. I have also had great Soldiers come to me and state that is what happened when they went. Again they want to get better and return to work full steam; not take the day off.
You have made a multitude of assumptions from a simple post. I have been to multiple installations and there seems to be a trend with what I am discussing.
As far as my personal in juries there is not much that can be done as jumping has done damage that is not repairable at the current time. When it comes to pain management I cannot take narcotics due to my profession. I am now on a joint base where the Air-Force is the lead proponent and have to schedule an appointment with pain management.
Another thing, maybe in your haste you misread the fact that I have had to "encourage" Soldiers to seek sick call guidance as I knew they were trying to work through an injury. Soldiers do not see my pain as I have learned to live with it. When someone sees my X-Rays they are amazed that I do not limp and that I can still do all the things which I do.
You have made a multitude of assumptions from a simple post. I have been to multiple installations and there seems to be a trend with what I am discussing.
As far as my personal in juries there is not much that can be done as jumping has done damage that is not repairable at the current time. When it comes to pain management I cannot take narcotics due to my profession. I am now on a joint base where the Air-Force is the lead proponent and have to schedule an appointment with pain management.
Another thing, maybe in your haste you misread the fact that I have had to "encourage" Soldiers to seek sick call guidance as I knew they were trying to work through an injury. Soldiers do not see my pain as I have learned to live with it. When someone sees my X-Rays they are amazed that I do not limp and that I can still do all the things which I do.
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I don't think it is a sign of strength or weakness. If you need to see a doc, you need to see a doc. What is a sign of weakness is when you have the opportunity to see that provider, get the appropriate medications at the lowest level needed, and at the time set aside for it, but instead decide to go to the ER at 0631 because "your tummy hurts" (sorry, way too many stories about that actually happening).
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