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Branch Medical Clinic San Diego Ensures Deployment Readiness

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS100308-09
Release Date: 3/8/2010 4:15:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jake Berenguer, Naval Medical Center San Diego Public Affairs

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Branch Medical Clinic San Diego (BMCSD) located on Naval Base San Diego, regularly supports active duty, Reserve and Department of Defense (DoD) civilians who are deploying to or returning from various parts of the world.

BMCSD works alongside Navy Mobilization Processing Site (NMPS) using United States Central Command Modification 9 - a DoD checklist that the Army uses as the standard for deployment medical readiness - to include reviewing medical records to ensure vaccinations and dental exams are current and service members are within height and weight standards before they are deemed fit to deploy.

In 2009, BMCSD processed more than 3,600 personnel who deployed or retuned from deployment. BMCSD works directly with the only NMPS site on the western Pacific. Every person who deploys on the West Coast, active, Reserve or DoD personnel, are immediately screened through BMCSD, to include personnel from the western Pacific as far as Hawaii and Japan.

BMCSD is only one of four deployment processing centers in the United States; which provides quality, thorough and expeditious medical care to those going through the final stages of the deployment process and also addresses any problems that may arise for those members returning from deployment.

Each patient's medical record is reviewed several times to ensure that the member is deemed physically and mentally ready for the demands of a deployment.

"Any Sailor or civilian deploying should work to maintain their deployment readiness and stay within the mandated requirements. Mobilization readiness is paramount because any person that is active duty or Reserve forces can be called to deploy," said Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman Rafael A. Rodriguez, senior enlisted leader for NMPS.

BMCSD relies on the medical staff's expertise to decide whether or not a person is qualified to deploy.

"It's not just a matter of sending a body over to fill a spot. Those deploying are relieving a watch and helping bring someone home," said Rodriguez.

According to Cmdr. Barbara J. Kincade, BMCSD Branch Head, addressing the medical needs of those returning from deployment is vital. BMCSD ensures that service members who were injured physically, acquired an illness while deployed or have some form of post-traumatic stress disorder return to their parent commands healthy or with their medical needs documented for further treatment.

"We have to know that each and every person that we push forward to deploy is medically fit," said Kincade. "As someone who is deploying soon, I want to ensure that I am well equipped to deploy and that I am medically ready to face the demands that I will face."

With a staff of approximately 90 active duty military personnel, BMCSD recorded more than 122,500 patient visits from staff, students, Transient Personnel Unit and beneficiaries in 2009, many of those patients return for multiple appointments.

Sailors can now review their own individual medical readiness (IMR) medical and dental data from the Medical Readiness Reporting System via BUPERS Online (BOL). IMR status determines if a Sailor is medically eligible to deploy.

To review medical readiness status, visit https://www.bol.navy.mil and select the IMR Status link under the BOL Application Menu.