Posted on Aug 10, 2021
Why is it we "kinda" frown upon soldiers going to sick call to take care of pain and other ailments?
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The issue is a lot of soldiers get to retirement with a bare medical record for VA benefits and they can't get or it's a rough climb to get their respective percentage. I know this is a touchy subject because of the malingering culture that exists.
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I don't think that there really is a malingering "culture." I think that the people who truly malinger are a minority that have created a very horrible stereotype that anyone who seeks medical treatment or BH is trying to get out of something. It's extremely detrimental and causes people to suffer needlessly.
It's a very toxic mentality that needs to stop. When I first came in, I rarely would go if I was hurt. That was in my first 4 1/2 years. After that I go in for anything. When I went to my first joint assignment they encouraged it actually, the other Army I worked with. "This is the time to take care of yourself" since we didn't deploy, didn't go to the field, etc.
I know when I went in for some severe abdominal pain, the PA I had first thing she said "When's your PT test?" She just assumed I'm trying to get out of something - until she started to actually examine me and listen to me. Then she got more serious.
If someone tells me they're hurt or sick, I tell them to go to sick call. If someone says they need some mental health help, I tell them to go to BH. It's not my job to diagnose anyone and I can't diagnose anyone.
It's a very toxic mentality that needs to stop. When I first came in, I rarely would go if I was hurt. That was in my first 4 1/2 years. After that I go in for anything. When I went to my first joint assignment they encouraged it actually, the other Army I worked with. "This is the time to take care of yourself" since we didn't deploy, didn't go to the field, etc.
I know when I went in for some severe abdominal pain, the PA I had first thing she said "When's your PT test?" She just assumed I'm trying to get out of something - until she started to actually examine me and listen to me. Then she got more serious.
If someone tells me they're hurt or sick, I tell them to go to sick call. If someone says they need some mental health help, I tell them to go to BH. It's not my job to diagnose anyone and I can't diagnose anyone.
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MAJ (Join to see)
I respectfully disagree that there is not a lot of malingering. I do agree though the military creates a very sharp double edged sword. Have mental health issues related to the civilian world/job and get help? Army is more than happy to say it’s not military related and kick you to the curb in the reserves and guard. So much for caring about mental health.
I think for the guard reserves it’s a much tougher thing because you have to wait a long time for schools and then you go on active duty and you are told if you go to sick call and get put on profile you are going home and being recycled.
Active duty has some of the same thing, but you can go to sick call and it’s all documented. You get your temporary profile and drive on. Still some of the things the army seems to counsel and hammer on when people seek help for those issues they are eventually sent to a Med board and forced out. It’s quite sad.
So then what you see usually is one of two scenarios.
Someone hits their ETS physical and suddenly everything is wrong with them and they want this test done and that test done to apply for VA disability. Granted if you have been in for several years you would have some legitimate issues, but many see it as a last minute way to get a huge VA rating and the same paycheck with no work and tax free.
Scenario 2 is the more common one. Soldier does something stupid and is going to get chaptered out so they suddenly develop every issue known in the world to get to 100% to get even with big army for kicking them out.
The system needs an overhaul and unfortunately I have no idea how to change it.
I think for the guard reserves it’s a much tougher thing because you have to wait a long time for schools and then you go on active duty and you are told if you go to sick call and get put on profile you are going home and being recycled.
Active duty has some of the same thing, but you can go to sick call and it’s all documented. You get your temporary profile and drive on. Still some of the things the army seems to counsel and hammer on when people seek help for those issues they are eventually sent to a Med board and forced out. It’s quite sad.
So then what you see usually is one of two scenarios.
Someone hits their ETS physical and suddenly everything is wrong with them and they want this test done and that test done to apply for VA disability. Granted if you have been in for several years you would have some legitimate issues, but many see it as a last minute way to get a huge VA rating and the same paycheck with no work and tax free.
Scenario 2 is the more common one. Soldier does something stupid and is going to get chaptered out so they suddenly develop every issue known in the world to get to 100% to get even with big army for kicking them out.
The system needs an overhaul and unfortunately I have no idea how to change it.
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SFC Kelly Fuerhoff
MAJ (Join to see) - I have never had any PCM recommend me for med board for anything I've gone to sick call for. Not even when I got my perm profile for my knee (now both knees).
I have another scenario - a lot of people came up under the toxic mentality of "don't go to sick call you're just milking it - drink water and drive on" and then get to the point of ETS and now someone is listening.
I mean you can disagree - but I really think malingering is not as prevalent as NCOs have made it seem in the time I've come up in the Army.
I have another scenario - a lot of people came up under the toxic mentality of "don't go to sick call you're just milking it - drink water and drive on" and then get to the point of ETS and now someone is listening.
I mean you can disagree - but I really think malingering is not as prevalent as NCOs have made it seem in the time I've come up in the Army.
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MAJ (Join to see)
I think most providers listen, but I think the issue is command telling soldiers including officers not to go to sick call and as another person mentioned not wanting to miss work and others having to pull your weight while you go to sick call. I think many soldiers also fear some combination of their claimed issues will result in a Med board process. You may have just gotten lucky on your knees not getting you sent to a med board but I’ve seen plenty of others who weren’t so lucky. Gotta remember we are each just an N of 1 in the big greenSFC Kelly Fuerhoff
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Because we are all supposed to be super tough and unbreakable. That's why we are that way. It's the way we were taught and raised. I keep telling guys and gals i meet to make sure that they get everything entered into there medical records because if its not documented it didn't happen. Everything counts down the road.
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I have a ton of health issues that were not treated properly during my service. I am 41 with the body of a 60 year old. Some days it's hard to even walk. This is a direct result of the stigma that exists around "Sick call". I remember before I got out after I had medical evidence that yes, my knees were shot to hell and I was on a (basically) permeant no run/jump/march profile (which was fine as I had about two months till ETS) our battalion CSM was leading the PT for us "broke dick malingerers" and proceeded to educate me on how my "so called" bad knees was a joke because there was no such thing. I was just "weak minded" and needed to "soldier up". That I just wanted an easy way out of the Army. Easy way out I guess was ESTing on my end of service date with over a decade of honorable service, but okay, I guess you must be right with all those rockers and chevrons. I must be faking all this pain to take the easy way out AFTER five combat deployments. The easy way out... With his high Field Artillery level of intelligence he felt the need to explain to me why trained medical doctors were wrong in their diagnosis. I got the same kind of bullshit from my 1SG who promised to make sure to do everything in his power to ensure that I didn't receive any VA benefits when I got out... I just said "roger" and continued my out processing. I'm sitting here with my 90% disability rating wondering who hurt those men so badly that they have to be so miserable to everyone around them. Like damn Top, show me on the doll where the bad ol' doctor hurt you.
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