ABSTRACT
The military is a desirable career field for many young adults; however, the Department of Defense (DoD) requires its members to maintain a level of health necessary to meet the physical demands of military duties and be able to deploy to austere environments. The strict standards are designed to protect the health of the individual and maximize mission success. Standards for entrance into the US Armed Forces, called accession standards, are codified in DoD Instruction 6130.03, Volume 1 and include a section dedicated to skin and soft tissue conditions. This document lists medical conditions that do not meet the standard due to current and prior diagnoses and is regularly updated by a board using the best available scientific evidence. Applicants who do not meet the physical and medical standards can be considered for a medical waiver, although not guaranteed. Generally, retention standards differ for those already serving in the military and will not be addressed here. The focus of this article is to inform the general dermatologic community that these standards exist, to discuss specific dermatologic conditions that are disqualifying at the current time, and to provide resources for the dermatologist or primary care physician to access current information.
Subject(s)
Military Personnel , United States , Young Adult , Humans , Physical Examination , SkinABSTRACT
Nonmilitary providers play a critical role in the diagnosis and management of atopic dermatitis (AD) in children and adolescents who may one day desire to join military service as well as current military members who do not have access to military dermatologists. Failure to diagnose or incorrect diagnosis of AD in a child, adolescent, or current service member may have negative implications on their ability to effectively and safely serve in the US Military.
