Sick call medics battle the 'cold' war in Iraq

Photo By Staff Sgt. Ty Stafford | Medical Specialists Adam Cummiskey and Kieth Moulton, confer on a paitent's medical chart at the Task Force Warfighter medical clinic at LSA Anaconda.  

11.08.2005

Courtesy Story

207th Public Affairs Detachment

By Sgt. Ty Stafford

Caught a cold or sustained a minor injury? Go to your nearest troop medical clinic soon, but make sure you follow proper procedures before being seen.

When reporting for sick call, servicemembers at LSA Anaconda should have their military I.D. card and DA Form 698 or applicable service form filled out and signed by their supervisor for anyone below the rank of staff sergeant..

The sick call procedures are in place so that servicemembers use their chain-of-command and are accounted for.

"Any Soldier that thinks they are sick should come to sick call during sick call hours," said Capt. Phillip Janssen, physician assistant at the Taskforce Warfighter clinic.

Although most medical clinics have personnel on staff 24 hours a day, there are typically no doctors or physician assistants on staff after 5 p.m.

"If a Soldier comes in with a runny nose or cough, the medic will usually tell them to come in during sick call and be seen by a doctor," Janssen said.

Soldiers are not, however, discouraged from going to a medical clinic if they feel it is an urgent care situation, Janssen added.

Dental sick call is also available at Task Force Warfighter and the main dental clinic located in building 4003. The Warfighter clinic is also equipped with hearing test machines and flight physicals are available Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

"In two weeks we do more flight physicals than a month back at Bragg," Janssen said. The physicals can be done in 72 hours pending no medical drawbacks during screening.

Although the Warfighter clinic is primarily for aviation assets, servicemembers can find TMCs all over LSA Anaconda.

"We see any airmen on a walk-in basis and we also do walk-in immunizations," said Airman Frank Mictus of the Air Force Medical Clinic, but added that all emergencies are sent to the Air Force hospital on Anaconda.

• Date Taken: 11.08.2005
• Date Posted: 11.08.2005 12:55
• Story ID: 3663