Posted on Apr 14, 2016
Can leadership deny you transportation to medical appointments?
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I don't have a license and my appointments are either 45 minutes away or 2 hours away. My NCOIC is denying me any transportation or someone to even take me. He told my NCO that he not letting me use the Government vehicle and is not letting me pull someone in our direct section to take me. Can he do that? Its a specialty doctor who is helping me my TBI so its important. What should i do?
Medical
Army Regulations
Law
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 19
Not knowing all the back story on this can't understand why an NCO would not help you arrange transportation of some sort esp if he is going to have to give you time off to go to the appointment. You might try calling the Drs office and explaining to them what your situation is regarding transportation and ask for help of some sort. They might be able to pull a string or two from their end with your COC. You shouldn't have to contact your 1stSgt or CO on something like this. Depending where you are located some places have a 'Base cab' service which at Camp Lejeune was a base gvt transportation service where SMs of any rank could call for a base cab for a ride.
Request an open door with your 1SG or commander. The mission comes first, but they will balance responsibilities. Your needs don't trump the mission, but denying you care isn't something a local supervisor can do by himself.
MSgt Marvin Kinderknecht
I would say that if the medical situation could be detrimental to the mission, then we have to take care of the medical problem. If a person is have chest or stomach pain, they may need imediate attention. Basically, I am saying if a person cannot perform the mission, then that person has to come first. If we can replace a president (Kenndy) within minutes surely we can replace a military person (any rank).
CPT Mark Gonzalez
The next time you are at the medical facility seek out an ombudsman and the pad section. Explain your situation as pad knows better than anyone the regulations covering patient transport. If you end up getting help. Update your original post with the result and whether it was from a regulation or other leader action. This way other Soldiers in the future can be helped by your experience.
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Roger Sir. Question though, there is literally only 1 Army Doctor in this Unit. Since we are stationed on a Air Force Base we have Air Force Doctor's as out PCM's. How would that work?
CPT Mark Gonzalez
My experience is primarily with Army and Navy. When you have a provider from another service it complicates things, as some admin aspects of medical care are service dependent. A joint provider may have more difficulty entering profiles into e-profile, but they can still produce sick slips and quarters if needed. A joint provider also has the ability to document your care, which is what you really need long term. The clinic even if Airforce should have a patient administration section and some sort of patient advocate for you to seek out.
Go see Jag. Talk to the transportation section in the hospital. Inquire about the WTU. You are a military asset that needs to be fixed, they should not deny it. A unit should take care of its troops or send them on to the WTU. Also if things get hairy contact your Chaplain. He is the honest broker. This is a little battle that might get hairier, the more allies you have, the better.
SSG Warren Armitage
i have read them PFC. just like I said it feels like you are leaving out other details. I have read all the other details and comments. Unless the military has changed the chain of command is required to ensure that you have time to attend to your needs and cannot order anyone to drive you to your appointments in their personally owned vehicles, however they could get a TMP vehicle and have someone take you, due to it being an official appointment but just needs certain personnel to authorize it. i.e. your Chain of Command. but it does sound like your the type that feels that they owe you something and my guess is that their not going to cater to you if you are approaching it in that manner. So as they say Soldier up.
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SSG Warren Armitage - All the details are in the comments on all the posts for this subject. I wouldn't be coming on here asking this and that about something not being right if I knew it was right or just the hell of it. Just because its a reg or a law they have to follow does not mean they are following it. They gave up on me because the leadership is tired of driving me to appointments and missing work because of migraines and headaches.
MSgt Marvin Kinderknecht
As a Flight Crew member we were authorized transportation to our billets. On one TDY I stayed with the ground crew to get the Aircraft in commission. Too make a long story short, a GI gave us transportation to our hotel. We got a ride back to the base and the NCO club just happened to have members night. When The club closed I called for transportation and was denied. I called the base commander and asked for transportation. I informed him it was an Air Force Regulation not a local one. After about 30 minutes of talking he asked where I needed to go and I told him which hotel. He then informed me it was a whore house. I told him that is where billets sent us. I finally got my transportation. Just so happened my Co-Pilot went to school with this guy so, An ass chewing was in order. THOSE WERE THE DAYS.
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So there is no "mission" at hand right now.. Tomorrow is a celebration of service that's it.. Can't see why they can't provide me one person who drives to take me. I'm willing to pay out of my pocket to have them take me because I want to get better and treated. I just got done talking to my 1SG and he said this exactly " Medical appointments are your responsibility to get there and back" also he said "go talk to surgeon or the medics and see if I'm able to get medical TDY for the day since its out of the radius" and "you can get a cab or uber to take you maybe". Him saying maybe is because there is no taxi service around here that will take me 2 hours to there and wait up to 2 hours then drive me back 2 hours... This is gonna get copy and pasted on all responses so I figure out a solution to this mess faster. I appreciate all the feedback and advice!