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Regarding Immunizations
Q: My son is a cadet candidate for 2007. We have completed all of the necessary forms and sent the immunization form in but still lack the last Hepatitis B and both A vaccinations. We were told to complete what we can (he is due to have his last B this month) and bring a copy of his record on R day. Our question is the Hep A series. Our local health department does not administer it. I had to make several calls to physicians and found two that can order the vaccination but will charge $75 to administer each shot. What experience has anyone had with this vaccination and can we wait until R Day for this series? His admissions officer stated through email that "it might be a good idea to get the vaccination if we can". Should we pay the $150 it will require to have the two shots?
A: The question was posed on getting the Hep A immunization shot. Short answer: get all the immunization shots that time permits your son to get. While most do not suffer any ill effects from the shots, even a sore arm is going to be something he is not going to want to contend with during the first few days of Beast. An additional reason to get the shots now is that it will be one less "thing" that he has to do, on top of everything else ....
Q: I have been reading about the need to get the Heb A and B vaccines- What about meningitis for my son?
A: The immunization form from the red booklet entitled "Instructions for Candidates Offered Admission Class of 2007" that was required to be returned to West Point lists the immunizations that are needed. MGC was item H, USMA Form 5-516. It is recommended by West Point DAD, CPT Ballister, to complete these prior to R-day as R-Day will be busy and that last thing the candidate needs is additional requirements to be filled. There is the additional issue of temporary discomfort that can be avoided as well. While the candidate will not be refused admission for missing immunizations, it is an avoidable source of stress on an important day. Accordingly, we completed the MGC and are in the process of completing the Hep B #3 (item F) prior to R-day.
Immunization Records
Q: We've used various doctors and getting accurate records will be difficult at
best. Does my son need to get a new tuberculosis shot and a new tetanus and
diphtheria shot? I know he has had a tetanus shot within the past three
years but I think it was through his school.
A: Immunization records are very important for all of us to maintain. Many
states require that students file immunization records upon registering,
and update them at specific intervals. While it may take awhile to gather
all the requested information, in the long run, it's a good exercise, as
your son/daughter will thereafter have them in their military records, and
there will be no question about it. I would also recommend making a copy of
them, and placing them with your important family papers (wills, mortgages,
deeds, etc.)
When my son was undergoing his DODMERB examination, they requested all
medical records from birth to date. My initial thoughts were similar to
yours .... oh, my ... all the moves, all the different doctors ..... but the
funny thing is that technology has actually aided us on this one .... The
records from the Hospital where he was born and his first pediatrician were
"stored" in some medical storage facility in San Jose, California ...... the
hospital and doctor are themselves in northeastern PA! I actually received
those records "in hand" a full week sooner than I was able to get records
from another doctor right here in town!
Also, if you tell them that the records are needed for his admission to
USMA, many doctors' offices will not charge you the normal copy fee ....
Immunization Records Form for Accepted Candidates
Q: Due to insurance requirements, our son has not kept the same physician
nor did one physician give him all of his immunizations. I requested
this form be completed by his most recent physician and was told that he
would sign the form for the immunizations he had on record. The
complete compiled record has been on file with the school, however, the
Dr. cannot accept the school record. The Dr. who gave the original
immunizations archived my son's records many years ago and then retired.
Those original records do not appear to be available any longer. This
Dr. did send records to the subsequent physician. However, somewhere
along the way, one physician would only include the immunizations he
administered in his records. The original immunizations were included
as an attachment only which was later separated and lost. One option is
to have more than one Dr. complete a form for which they have records.
Will the Academy accept multiple immunization forms which then add up to
a complete record?
A: Many of us have had our children taken care of by numerous doctors, due to
moving, insurance, etc. In our case, we also had the situation of having
numerous doctors, some of which we could no longer contact. We submitted
what we had, including the school immunization record. We were missing years
0-4, completely. Nothing was transferred. I gave them what I had. The school
record had to be signed/verified by a doctor somewhere down the line and was
acceptable to DODMERB. This was approximately 4 years ago. We had numerous
records from many different doctors that we sent.
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