LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
Often, recruiters tout the Air Force's free, comprehensive health care program as a major perk for joining.
However, many Airmen don't take care of their shot records, public health assessments and dental appointments. Without these, those Airmen may not be fit to fight and, in essence, are throwing away their benefits.
Thomas Lane, 633rd Medical Group force health management director, shared his knowledge about how to utilize the tools of the trade for keeping up-to-date on mandatory medical appointments.
"A lot of people think it is up to us to manage their health, and blame us when they are reprimanded," said Lane. "That is like blaming the barber for forgetting to get a haircut!"
Lane stressed it is up to the individual units to ensure medical readiness, which is paramount for today's war fighter. If Airmen want to engage the enemy, first they must engage themselves with the tools offered by Air Force medical personnel.
Chief Master Sgt. Eric Earheart, a unit health monitor, explained what UHMs do and how they aid their Airmen's mission-readiness.
"The UHM ensures military personnel stay up-to-date on their medical records," said Earhart. "We remind Airmen when they need to have appointments made, as well as annotate actions and appointments taken by the Airmen."
Both Earhart and Lane agreed, Airmen should take charge of their own medical records if they want to avoid complications down the road.
Luckily, being proactive couldn't be easier with Aerospace Service Information Management Systems. ASIMS Web streamlined the process of checking individual medical readiness and gives Airmen the ability to track their own appointments for mandatory medical care.
Via the IMR website, https://imr.afms.mil/imr/MyIMR.aspx, Airmen can view a simplified, color-coded version of their records to see what actions they must take. If Airmen are unsure who to contact for an appointment, the bottom of the page gives information on who to contact depending on which of the six categories requires attention.
Airmen can also view a more detailed account of their records if desired.