Post-deployment health reassessment coming soon

  • Published
  • By Capt. Chelsea Johnson
  • 60th Aerospace Medicine Squadron
Travis Air Force Base, Calif. --  Travis Airmen returning from deployment will soon have a second opportunity to have their mental and physical health assessed. 

Airmen will fill out the new post-deployment health reassessment online 90 to 180 days after returning from a deployment. 

The PDHRA supplements the Post-Deployment Health Assessment Airmen complete at the end of their deployment and is designed to detect symptoms that don’t show up immediately. 

“We recognize that deployments may have an impact on the health and well-being of our servicemembers, and we know from research that health concerns are identified even several months after returning from operational deployments,” said Dr. William Winkenwerder, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs. 

Returning Travis Airmen will complete the PDHRA online and the results will be sent to David Grant USAF Medical Center for review. 

If an Airman requests an appointment, or if results of the survey suggest a follow-up is needed, he or she will have the opportunity to talk with a healthcare provider. 

Further care will be arranged if necessary. 

The assessment contains questions about the individual’s general health, including questions on injuries or wounds sustained during deployment, current health concerns, relationships with family and friends, alcohol use, possible occupational or environmental exposures, and other deployment experiences. It focuses more on life skills issues, which often show up several months after return from deployment. 

Air Force healthcare providers hope to eliminate the stigma associated with seeking help for life skills and other health issues. Members should not feel that they have to deal with their concerns on their own. 

“The Air Force wants to send the message to folks that it is perfectly normal that at different points in our lives we have mental health concerns, explained Dr. [Lt. Col.] Jim Favret, clinical consultant to the Air Force Surgeon General for the Biomedical Science Corps. “Especially after a stressful deployment, it’s okay to acknowledge that and to seek help.” 

Deployment affects each individual differently, and experiences can be positive or negative. 

For those who have concerns directly or indirectly related to deployment, healthcare providers are ready to help. The Post Deployment Health Reassessment process allows members to obtain the assistance they need. 

For more information, contact Tech. Sgt. Jeffery Phillips or Capt. Chelsea Johnson at 423-5464.