(from National Guard Regulation 40-501)

Each Army National Guard soldier is individually responsible for the maintenance of his/her medical, physical, and mental fitness. This includes correcting remediable defects, avoiding harmful habits, and weight control. The maintenance of good strength and aerobic conditioning is of prime importance to the modem soldier. The APFT is no more than the level of activity that may be expected from the Army National Guard soldier in the normal range of duties, and can be passed by soldiers in good condition.

The responsibilities also include seeking medical advice quickly when they believe their physical well being is in question. Any hospitalization, significant illness, or disease that occurs when not on duty shall be reported to the unit commander or first sergeant at the earliest possible opportunity, and in all cases before initiating the next period of training.

Any recommendation of restricted activity that has been made by a private physician shall be reported, preferably in writing, before performing any duty, and shall be honored by the soldier's commander until evaluation and recommended course of action can be determined by a Medical Corps officer. Directing duty that is in violation of recommended restrictions may be considered misconduct of the supervisor and result in disciplinary action. Voluntary performance of a duty by a soldier that may be detrimental to the soldier's well being, in violation of documented restrictions advised by private or military medical authorities, may be considered misconduct by the soldier, may result in disciplinary action, and may therefore jeopardize Line of Duty entitlements.

A member shall immediately inform his/her unit commander, first sergeant, or supervisor of any significant injury or disease he/she incurs while on duty. The unit commander shall ensure that any necessary emergency care required for the preservation of life, limb, or sight shall be made immediately available. The unit commander shall notify the designated office of the State Adjutant General of any emergency care authorized, and immediately initiate a Line of Duty (LOD). Because the completed LOD impacts every aspect of medical care available to the soldier, the prudent soldier will monitor the progress of the LOD through to completion. The soldier will not be reimbursed for any medical care obtained without prior written authority by the unit commander or State Health Systems Specialist. See National Guard Regulation 40-3 for specific instructions.

Soldiers presenting verbal or written claims of need for restricted duty shall be referred to the State Surgeon or his designee for evaluation and appropriate profiling before being allowed to perform any duty.

This information will be verbally briefed to all soldiers on an annual basis and is permanently posted on the unit bulletin board.