STDs and the military: Busting the myths

[unhappycamper]

STDs and the military: Busting the myths
By Allison Batdorff, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Sunday, December 16, 2007

If I’m in the military and have an STD, I’ll get in trouble with my command.

Not true, say most military health care providers. Commanding officers have access to medical records, but the mind-set these days is to treat and contain the disease, not punish the servicemember.

“In the past, we used to punish sailors for having STDs, but from a preventative medical standpoint, that was absolutely counterproductive,” U.S. 7th Fleet Preventive Health Officer Cmdr. Eric Kasowski said. “We want them treated and we want them ready. We try hard not to stigmatize it too much to keep sailors from being treated. We teach and enforce avoidance — and it seems to work pretty well.”

Technically, you can get in trouble if the infection is the result of policy infractions such as being in an off-limits club, said Lt. Col. Marie Price, the Army’s 18th Medical Command chief public health promotion coordinator in South Korea.

My STD is my business.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=51004