Posted on Oct 14, 2022
If I got all of my immunizations updated before I leave for Army Basic Training (in 3 days), will I have to get those shots again at BCT?
6.95K
36
17
5
5
0
I ship out for basic in 3 days. I usually have very bad reactions to immunizations, so I got all of my shots updated 4 days ago (and have been super sick ever since). I spoke to my Army recruiter today and he told me that I will have to get all of those shots again at reception battalion…!!!??? I have a State certified document from my PCP that shows that my vaccines are up to date. I don’t understand why the army would require me to get a vaccine that I received less than a week ago… Is my recruiter wrong about this?
Posted in these groups: 
Basic Trainee
Basic Combat Training (BCT)
Medical
Combat Medic
Career Counselor
Basic Trainee Basic Combat Training (BCT) Medical Combat Medic Career Counselor
Posted 2 y ago
Responses: 6
I would say to take your updated civilian shot records to Basic Training. If you are able, show them to Medical in Reception and they will make the call. However.....be prepared to get those shots again. Oh, even if you show up with a shaved and bald head....you're still gonna get slapped in the barber chair for a haircut.
(8)
(0)
SSG Bill McCoy
Good advice - seeking out the OIC or even NCOIC of the medical line, MAY prove worthwhile, or it may not.
Funny what you said about haircuts. When I went to Navy Boot Camp, my Dad cut my hair FAR shorter than even Boot Camp standards. I STILL had to sit in the barber chair and get buzzed for nothing that was there! LOL I remember a hippy ... LONG hair past his shoulders - beautiful hair. Poor guy was crying like a baby when he go sheared! ROFL
Funny what you said about haircuts. When I went to Navy Boot Camp, my Dad cut my hair FAR shorter than even Boot Camp standards. I STILL had to sit in the barber chair and get buzzed for nothing that was there! LOL I remember a hippy ... LONG hair past his shoulders - beautiful hair. Poor guy was crying like a baby when he go sheared! ROFL
(1)
(0)
MSG (Join to see)
SSG Bill McCoy there was some guys in my Reception group barracks...well, they decided to get their hair cut by the guy that brought clippers. Dude only charged 2 bucks. Drill Sergrants found out and clippers were taken, money refunded, then slapped in the chair to get a 4 dollar haircut
(1)
(0)
SSG Bill McCoy
MSG (Join to see) - My youngest son went to Army Basic with his (normally) shaved head. I'm surprised he didn't have to get a hair cut regardless! LOL
(0)
(0)
SSgt (Join to see)
MSG (Join to see), there was always someone who showed up for Basic with a shaved head. They got the worst of it.
(1)
(0)
7
7
0
You should have asked somebody before you did that.
When you are onboarded you go through everything because the military is building your records from scratch. Your medical, dental and eye exams are creating a baseline starting from the day you entered the service. To include the fact they ensure your shot card is updated to reflect that all of your vaccinations are up to date. If you are going into the Military and more specifically into military healthcare you need to prepare yourself. Everyone is getting vaccinated and everyone will feel like dog poo. You aren’t the first new recruit who doesn’t feel well after getting their shots. That’s normal and they know to look for that.
You can try and fight it if you want but you will just flag yourself and will be disappointed in what you get in return.
When you are onboarded you go through everything because the military is building your records from scratch. Your medical, dental and eye exams are creating a baseline starting from the day you entered the service. To include the fact they ensure your shot card is updated to reflect that all of your vaccinations are up to date. If you are going into the Military and more specifically into military healthcare you need to prepare yourself. Everyone is getting vaccinated and everyone will feel like dog poo. You aren’t the first new recruit who doesn’t feel well after getting their shots. That’s normal and they know to look for that.
You can try and fight it if you want but you will just flag yourself and will be disappointed in what you get in return.
(7)
(0)
PV2 (Join to see)
I gotcha, I have a tendency to over prepare for stuff. I was hoping to avoid getting a bunch of shots and then having to do a multi-mile ruck, I’ve got a way of making things harder on myself than they need to be though. I appreciate your insight into my situation!
SSgt Christophe Murphy
SSgt Christophe Murphy
(0)
(0)
COL Randall C.
PV2 (Join to see), adding on to what SSgt Christophe Murphy said about getting them all again. Don't let the barracks lawyers fill your head with "don't get the shots twice, it's dangerous" type of stuff.
Depending on the shot, you might might face an increase odds of having a reaction (based on your comments, accept that you're going to, as SSG Murphy stated, "feel like dog poo"), but not as an increase in likelihood that you'll have a severe reaction requiring medical intervention.
Per the CDC regarding repeated vaccinations of the same type*: Most of the time, your risk of serious side effects does not increase if you get extra doses of a vaccine. Getting extra doses of oral vaccines, such as rotavirus or typhoid, is not known to cause any problems. The risk of a reaction at the injection site following certain injected vaccines, such as DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis) or pneumococcal vaccine, increases if the doses are not separated by the recommended amounts of time. In these cases, it is the spacing of the doses*, not the number of doses, that creates the risk. These reactions can be unpleasant, but they are not life-threatening.
---------------------------------------------
* CDC repeated vaccinations: https://www.cdc.gov/cdc-info/vaccines-immunizations.html
* Recommended spacing of doses:
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkbook/downloads/appendices/a/age-interval-table.pdf
Depending on the shot, you might might face an increase odds of having a reaction (based on your comments, accept that you're going to, as SSG Murphy stated, "feel like dog poo"), but not as an increase in likelihood that you'll have a severe reaction requiring medical intervention.
Per the CDC regarding repeated vaccinations of the same type*: Most of the time, your risk of serious side effects does not increase if you get extra doses of a vaccine. Getting extra doses of oral vaccines, such as rotavirus or typhoid, is not known to cause any problems. The risk of a reaction at the injection site following certain injected vaccines, such as DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis) or pneumococcal vaccine, increases if the doses are not separated by the recommended amounts of time. In these cases, it is the spacing of the doses*, not the number of doses, that creates the risk. These reactions can be unpleasant, but they are not life-threatening.
---------------------------------------------
* CDC repeated vaccinations: https://www.cdc.gov/cdc-info/vaccines-immunizations.html
* Recommended spacing of doses:
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkbook/downloads/appendices/a/age-interval-table.pdf
Ask CDC - Vaccines & Immunizations | CDC-INFO | CDC
CDC-INFO is the CDC’s national contact center, providing information to the public, healthcare providers, and public health professionals. CDC-INFO offers live agents to help you find the up-to-date, reliable, consistent, and science-based health information you’re looking for, on more than 750 health topics.
(2)
(0)
MAJ Ronnie Reams
PV2 (Join to see) - MythBusters busted that a long time ago, hitting the ground running does not give you an advantage, but rather, in fact, usually makes you off to a slower start. QED
(1)
(0)
SFC Kelly Fuerhoff
PV2 (Join to see) - You won't "hit the ground running" anyway. Everyone goes through reception first which is about a week.
(0)
(0)
4
4
0
Your starting from scratch. There will be an assembly line, shots, next, shots, next, etc. In my basic the guy in front of me told them he's allergic to eggs, tough. Well that evening he was carted off in an ambulance. Two days later we were told he won't be re joining us but he's ok. Oh, my mother insisted I get a haircut before going. No mom, they will shave my head. Yep they did.
(4)
(0)
PO3 (Join to see)
Tough? Dude couldve died. Yet another reason not to miss the military, you can get away with shit thatll cause you to lose your medical license in the real world.
(0)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google