BMU bummer

I read the page in the PTR. USNA recommends keeping the insurance in case of separation, if it seems likely the insurance will not re-enroll him after separation due to a condition developed at the Academy. Midshipmen may maintain the private insurance, but may not utilize services unless they are approved by Tricare.

I don't believe it, and I don't believe BMU went so rapidly down the hole in the last five months.

I've seen a few hundred individuals in my company alone get through various medical ailments with BMU. I've been through BMU several times for various things myself. Nothing close to being refused care or given inadequate care. The folks at the front desk have been known to be not the most kind and at times visibly annoyed. Upon receiving feedback to this effect a few years back, the CO of NHC Annapolis ensured that they improved their demeanor, but they always did perform their duties properly throughout. The corpsmen, nurses, and doctors are trained and qualified professionals.

Most likely: He can't be bothered to deconflict his classes and sports commitments with available medical appointments, so he feels like the staff at BMU is not supporting his needs. He has not talked to his CoC about it. He has given up because he thinks there are no other options. Other Midshipmen have told him horror stories about BMU and Navy Medicine (which are definitely all true), so he doesn't want to try. He's taken the old water, motrin, and socks joke a bit too literally.

He took the officer's oath on I-Day, has gold nametapes on his NWUs, and has a set of khakis. It is the expectation that he is able to work through his own personal problems, or at least know who to ask.
 
Last edited:
hopeful1998 said:
Cheese,

My DS' big information packet we received with his letter of appointment devoted one page to answering the question of why we should keep personal medical coverage on our plebe. We took USNAs advice and kept it.

I only got involved when (after 5 weeks of attempting to get an antibiotic) he called me. He's a barely 18 y/0 plebe. So, Get over yourself - he's a tough kid that does not cry wolf

And to the others who questioned my sons story - he went to the BMU 3 times during this period and was only given over the counter Meds except for his pink eye. If you don't believe that, you're out of touch
Click to expand...
I can only imagine how concerned you must be about your son and I understand your frustration with the exceedingly blunt and "salty" answers you have received. As a parent we only want what is best and unfortunately an 18 y/o kid does not change immediately overnight into a fully responsible adult that knows how to make the best decisions. In June 2017 I will have a barely 18y/o son, 13 days after his high school graduation entering into the "adult world" of the USNA. I am beyond happy that he has chosen this path but as a loving parent I will be concerned because I can no longer "watch" over him or guide him. My husband of 20 years has been in the Navy medical field for 27 years. Nineteen years as an enlisted sailor (HMCS/E-8) with the last 8 years as an officer PA. As with anything in life there are some bad apples and it sucks if he had a bad experience at medical already. As other people have said he needs to use his chain of command if he feels that he is not being treated properly. My only advice to him when dealing with military treatment facilities (MTF) is to not ever go into an MTF and specifically ask for antibiotics or any other specific prescription. Your son will not get antibiotics if they think his sickness is a viral sickness (9 out of 10 times it is). Different story if he has a bacterial infection. Military medicine is different than civilian medicine. Civilian medical facilities will do whatever it takes to keep their customers happy, if someone wants antibiotics for a viral infection the civilian doctor will give it to them 99% of the time......even though this is poor medical practice and doing so does not medically help that patient. Civilian medical treatment facilities make money off of how many people walk through their doors. MTFs do not make money off of how many people come through their doors......they are not always perfect or have the best "customer service" but if a military member is truly sick and not a "sick call commando" they will do what's best for that military member. I only say this from 24 years of personal experience. I left for navy boot camp on my 18th birthday, did my 4 years as a hospital corpsman, got out and "married into" Navy medicine. I do hope your son improves, if not he needs to continue to be an advocate for his medical issues. Best wishes!
 
1. We were told numerous times and in numerous ways (PTR, I day speech, etc) to keep our mid on our insurance policy as a backup.
2. My plebe went to BMU 4 times with the same symptoms before being diagnosed with pneumonia. We told her to be persistent.
3. Same mid went to BMU last week for obvious ingrown toenail. Instead of addressing the nail, they gave her hydrocortisone cream and tested her for diabetes. We told her to go back and get appt with the podiatrist.

I completely understand your concern. Tell him to be persistent and specific in his interactions with BMU.
 
My mid called me on a Friday afternoon around 1:00 wanting to know if it was bad that the infected blister on his hand now had red streaks going up his arm. I told him to drop everything and go get it looked at. BMU told him to come back later - walk-ins couldn't be seen until 3:00. He was a plebe, and told me when I called him back that he could not miss parade! Apparently I scared him enough and insisted he go back right then...he wisely sought out a sympathetic firstie in his company who took him back, and they got through to a doctor. The doctor told him if the massive antibiotics he was prescribing didn't work overnight he would have to be transported to Walter Reed for surgery. It was very serious (sepsis) and he was sick for 2 weeks. Luckily the meds worked. BMU thought it could wait. I do not let myself think about what would have happened if he had gone to parade, or if he had not called me, or if I hadn't known about the signs of sepsis.

I understand that plebes need to learn to advocate for themselves - but he was feverish, not thinking clearly, and obviously suffering from sepsis. Who tells someone to go away at that point?
 
Last edited:
I think OP should calm down...Let's avoid mass hysteria here. We understand it's your son...but think objectively.

He has one enlarged lymph node on his collarbone. Could be the result of almost anything from an upper resp. infection to God knows what. It takes time for the body's immune system to fight the pathogen and for the node to return to normal size.

Just the other day I had a node on the back of my neck that took weeks to go down, but did. A single lymph node for only 2 weeks with minor symptoms or no symptoms is not a serious condition, and rightfully so the Navy is not wasting its resources investigating that.

There are certain characteristics of serious conditions, and if those presented, the Navy would certainly become much more serious about his care very quickly.
 
Whoa folks,

Mom is right, and never tell a mother she is wrong. If your not married, you will learn soon enough. They have instincts. The only thing I was trying to convey is get the leadership involved if he feels they are passing him off. Just like the situation above mmb731 stated, her son found leadership to help him out and got him seen immediately.

Believe it or not a Mid 1st Class is leadership to a Plebe.

We all know there are SickBay commando's. We have all dealt with them thousands of times. Mom, please tell him to go to his CHIEF. This is what we get paid for. We are able to filter out the BS and get down to the brass tacks.

Good Luck hopeful 1998!! Just tell him to communicate to his Chief. Let us know how this turns out.
 
Hopeful,

I'm the mother of a midshipmen who went to BMU during plebe summer and got dismissed.

He went on regiment runs with bilateral pneumonia ( and other things-- if I remember, it was strep) which was only diagnosed after he collapsed after winning the telephone pole thing and had to be dragged off the field.

He said that this was the first time he's ever wanted to die in his whole life, but that he turned off his brain and just kept going.

"Mom, I told them I was sick."
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top