Here's to your health

  • Published
  • By Colonel Ed Cullumber
  • 442 MDS Commander
Whiteman AFB, Mo. --  Individual Medical Readiness or IMR, reporting and monitoring allows the Air Force and its commanders to track the medical readiness of unit members--this ensures a healthy fighting force that is medically prepared to deploy. 

The requirements for IMR are captured in six key components:  Periodic (or Preventative) health assessments (PHA), duty or deployment limiting conditions, dental assessments, immunizations, lab status, and equipment.

The PHA is required annually and provides an opportunity to assess the overall health and medical readiness of the unit member.  As part of the PHA, unit members will see a medical provider at least every three years unless there are medical conditions warranting an earlier visit with a medical provider.

Duty or deployment limiting medical conditions include any physical or psychological condition that may interfere with a Service member's ability to perform their duties while deployed.

Our military dentists are required to assess your dental health every year.  However, if you have your civilian dentist complete a DD Form 2813 and you turn it in you will only have to be seen by a military dentist once every three years.  Dental Readiness is classified into four categories ranging from the member being up-to-date and deployable to the member not being deployable due to urgent or emergent dental needs.

Your sequence of immunizations is expected to be current.  The annual influenza vaccine is captured in this area and all members are required to have these shots by the end of December of each year.   

Our lab provides testing for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other flying and occupational health requirements. 
The issuing of medical equipment is monitored for individuals subject to deployment.  The core focus of this element is gas mask inserts.
Military members must be current in all six elements to be considered IMR- compliant.  There are four tiers used in the classification system for reporting IMR, including green (fully medically ready), yellow (due for an update), gray (indeterminate), and red, (not medically ready or overdue).

Certainly the overall goal for a fully medically ready force is 100%.   The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) has set its IMR goal rate at 90% and continually assesses wing compliance rates.  Meeting and maintaining AFRC IMR goal can be challenging as rates fluctuate based upon deployments and other factors.  Your continued focus on your health and IMR, along with the help of unit health monitors, will ensure the 442d Fighter Wing is medically ready for deployments.

Here's to your health!