MEDICAL LESSONS LEARNED

File: aaata_22.txt
Page: 22
Total Pages: 36
                                       MEDICAL LESSONS LEARNED
                                         DESERT SHIELD/STORM


          CATEGORY:  Mobility

          ISSUE/ITEM:

          SUBJECT:  Medical Qualification for World Wide Duty

          BACKGROUND:    In absence of AF Form 422, Physical Profile  Serial  Report,  USAF
          personnel are presumed fit for world wide deployment;  AFR  28-4  specifies  it  an
          individual  responsibility  to  self-identify  any  medical  conditions  which  may
          interfere with duty performance at the employment location.

          DISCUSSION: Early feedback from deployed medics  indicated  that  high  numbers  of
          personnel were deployed in Desert Storm who should not have been,  due  to  various
          physical ailments or limitations.  Numerous observations on  this  theme  have  been
          reported to this MAJCOM.

                       MAJCOM and local policies vary widely in regards to  ensuring  medical
          fitness for deployment.     While some bases  conduct  thorough  screening  of  each
          individual  upon  initial  appointment  to  a  mobility  position   and/or   repeat
          screenings with each  deployment/exercise,  other  facilities  have  no  procedures
          established, other than to execute 422s when appropriate.

          ACTION RECOMMENDED:

                       (1) Determine if observation is or  is  not  valid,  or  is/is  not  a
          USAF unique problem.

                       (2)    Determine  appropriate  mobility   screening   procedures,   if
          required, and add to AFR 28-4, MOP 17

          SUGGESTED OPRs/OCRs:  HQ USAF/SGHR/SGPA

          SUBMITTER:  [(b)(2)]              HQ ATC/SGAX