Medical pros offer one-stop shopping for medical requirements, wellness Published Oct. 9, 2012 By Lt. Col. Michael A. Palmer 514th Aerospace Medicine Squadron JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- Do you ever feel like it's never ending? You show up to your weekend drill only to find a million things to do? Impossible schedules, numerous appointments, training requirements, pay problems, vouchers to submit. All this before you even sign in. When you do sign in, you learn that you're overdue on a medical requirement and now you've been placed in no-pay no-points status. Consequently, you've been dismissed to the medical clinic to straighten it out. Some of you may recognize this scenario. It can be a daunting and stressful experience since it's often associated with limiting Reserve participation or even worse, being disqualified altogether. An Airman's individual medical requirement, known as IMR, is an important factor in determining readiness from a deployment standpoint. An IMR consists of a current web health assessment, periodic health assessment, immunizations, HIV screenings, gas mask inserts, dental exams and profiling documentation related to duty-limiting conditions. Airmen need these items to qualify for special schools and training, deployments, flying duty and many other opportunities. Every Airman should not only understand the importance of their IMR, but also understand when they must meet these requirements. This has been the topic of discussion at many aerospace medicine council meetings, a forum where the aerospace staff address problems associated with health issues and mission performance. It was through the council that the idea for an Airman's health initiative event was born. The event is scheduled for 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 3 at building 3322, which is a hangar near the 108th Air Refueling Wing portion of the installation. The event was created so that every reservist can address their IMR while having the opportunity to meet with various agencies to discuss the prevention of diseases that are more common with older Airmen, shift workers, smokers or those with unhealthy living habits. "We want our reservists to not only be fit to fight, but to be fit to live," said Senior Master Sgt. Luisita Jordan, 514th Aerospace Medicine Squadron. "Our hope is to be able to educate on prevention and provide a way to hook reservists up with agencies that can assist them. It's basically one-stop shopping." There will also be an opportunity for you to give back to your local community. We will also be simultaneously conducting a blood drive, a bone marrow screenings, a canned-goods food drive and a coat drive. Snacks and soft drinks will be available. We encourage you to participate in this opportunity and get critical information on your state of health. Airman's Health Initiative Nov. 3 8 a.m to 3 p.m. Building 3322 Services Available: Immunization (Flu, TDAP, HEP B) HIV screenings Gas mask fit test Web HA screening Dental exams Topics Addressed: Smoking cessation Fit to Fight physical fitness Immunizations & vaccines Suicide awareness Diabetes Hypertension Dental care Asthma Post-traumatic stress syndrome Nutritional advice & wellness Agencies Attending: The Health and Wellness Center American Lung Association American Red Cross Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center Deborah Heart and Lung Hospital Military One Source American Diabetes Association Alcoholic Anonymous Veteran Administration Tricare