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I understand that Soldiers are required to make appointments they schedule, it's their responsibility. Is it really worth an article 15? Maybe i just don't see how the Army is losing money if you miss a 15 minute appointment. It's not like they run those expensive machines waiting on you or even show up on time themselves.
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Article 15
Article 15
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 36
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Sounds more like a "last straw" type of thing. You know, the one that broke the camels back. One of those let this freaking guy give me one more reason.
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I feel that if the SM is going to get a Article 15 for missing a appointment then the leadership should have something done to them as well, I say this because I have seen where a SM has informed their chain that they had a appointment numerous times before the date and then the leadership tells the SM that they can not go to the appointment because they need the SM to take care of something and then hammer the SM for missing the appointment, or they clam that they(leadership) did not know about it, even when they have a copy of the SM's appointments on their desk.
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CPT (Join to see)
One individual you never want to be as a leader is the Leader who prevents their Subordinates from going to a medical appointment. If that is occurring that is a serious infraction. My experience has been more along the lines of you allow a Soldier to go to their appointment an hour early, and the said Soldier misses their appointment, and has nothing to say for themselves. I am sure IG, TDS, and possibly the unit level JAG would not be too happy to hear of Leaders not allowing their subordinates to get medical attention when needed or have an appointment. If a Soldier is actually restricted from going to their appointment, they should annotate it on the back of their 4856, and immediately ask for a copy and seek legal advice, I would even go as far as saying do not sign the counseling. Even though it is said that by signing a counseling, all you are doing is agreeing to what is on the counseling is what was discussed. I am weary of that train of thought. I would tactfully ask whoever is giving me the counseling for a copy of it, and tell them you would like to seek legal counseling prior to signing it.
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In my past experince, it all would depend on why that appointment was missed. Did that servicemember do what they needed to do to contact someone and say WHY it was missed (broken down car, forgot, ended up stuck on some extra duty like KP or Staff duty and couldn't leave....) or was in intentional?
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I got two of them for missing appointments. One for going to the wrong place to pick up a LTC, the other for missing my morning detail.
They handed them out like candy when I was in. Was set up for a FG once, but beat all 6 charges on that one, one of which was to get a haircut. Completely unreasonable expectations given I was on TDY in Mountain Home, ID in mid-January.
They handed them out like candy when I was in. Was set up for a FG once, but beat all 6 charges on that one, one of which was to get a haircut. Completely unreasonable expectations given I was on TDY in Mountain Home, ID in mid-January.
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Our standard is three missed appointments with out calling in or cancelling warrants a call to command and then there may be UCMJ. However command gets each missed appointment anyway. There are legitimate reasons for missing appointments. Last minute mission, on quarters, emergency etc. The only time discipline is warranted is when it is a pattern. However let's make it clear MEDCOM and the big army push clinics because the clinic loses money if you No Show or for unbooked slots. And now provider's have to make their ERVU's (like a quota) and this is part of their evaluation. The OIC and the command are also rated on their open/no show/unbooked unfilled.
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I concur with LTC Paul Labrador and 1SG Steven Stankovich's comments. It does cost the military time and money to schedule appointments especially when so many providers are scheduled weeks out. My biggest complaint is when someone misses their appointment then they not only have to reschedule it but they cause another soldier to miss out on that slot. If they would have just canceled it then someone else could have been pushed up so their issue can be treated.
Let me ask you this. How would you feel if you were feeling very very sick and needed assistance quickly but the next available appointment for Dr Smith (just an example) isn't for two weeks. Now, you find out la couple days later that one of your soldiers missed his appointment, for a legitimate reason, with Dr Smith. How would you feel knowing that the appointment time could have been yours if the soldier had just properly canceled it?
Overall, I agree with a Company Grade Article 15 for missing an appointment although I'd be willing to listen to a very good mitigating reason for missing it.
BTW, every Soldier can check their appointments through the Tricare Online webpage. Log in then click on "Appointment Center". Once you get to the Appointment Center page, look to the right and you can see all of your appointments. You can even print them out. You can also schedule appointments and request refills of prescription medicines.
Let me ask you this. How would you feel if you were feeling very very sick and needed assistance quickly but the next available appointment for Dr Smith (just an example) isn't for two weeks. Now, you find out la couple days later that one of your soldiers missed his appointment, for a legitimate reason, with Dr Smith. How would you feel knowing that the appointment time could have been yours if the soldier had just properly canceled it?
Overall, I agree with a Company Grade Article 15 for missing an appointment although I'd be willing to listen to a very good mitigating reason for missing it.
BTW, every Soldier can check their appointments through the Tricare Online webpage. Log in then click on "Appointment Center". Once you get to the Appointment Center page, look to the right and you can see all of your appointments. You can even print them out. You can also schedule appointments and request refills of prescription medicines.
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LTC Paul Labrador
SSG Gerhard S., there is a lot of discussion right now about doing just that (contracting out routine medical care and retaining only your deployable assets). However, there are issues with that as well. The biggest is how do you keep your deployable medical assets trained? Unless you are taking care of patients every day, you rapidly lose those skills.
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SSG Gerhard S.
I agree, those ARE degradable skills. As a Paramedic, I am well aware of this. Perhaps, Contractually, Military personnel should make up some of the staff in those facilities, as well as at local hospitals. Just a thought.
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LTC Paul Labrador
You run into issues when military staff work outside of a military reservation. Mostly liability and scope of practice. Plus, I doubt civilian facilities will play along when you start telling them we're going to embed staff, but they can be pulled out of the hospital at any time for "Army stuff".
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SSG Gerhard S.
SSG Redondo, one would hope that if one is "very sick, and needed assistance quickly" that a Urgent Care, or Emergency Room setting might be in order.
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By missing an appt, you have tied up valuable resources and personnel that could have been used else where for someone who needs it. Flash- you miss VA appts and they can/will cancel your healthcare!
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From my experience is that you should not miss one. Yes you can get one BUT when it comes to the lower enlisted they should be a little more lenient especially because they do not do 99% of the work. So when you have an appointment that's two months out you're bound to forget it.
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It is your appointed place of duty. If you didn't show up to the flight line or motor pool or formation at the correct time or not at all, how would that be handled? The troops understand what we have to when we are in the military.
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SGT (Join to see) Think about the second and third order effects of you missing that appointment....who else could have gone that needed the same appointment, how did it effect them? What about having people sit around waiting for you, is their time not valued? Also, what does it speak to your character if you are not able to make an appointment, something set in stone and easy to accomplish? These are just some things to think about for missing that appointment.
Now, does it warrant an Article 15....that depends....what is the rest of the story? Have there been other appointments missed? Is this the first time there has been anything like this to be considered for an Article 15? Without knowing the rest of the story, it's hard to say yes or no.
Now, does it warrant an Article 15....that depends....what is the rest of the story? Have there been other appointments missed? Is this the first time there has been anything like this to be considered for an Article 15? Without knowing the rest of the story, it's hard to say yes or no.
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