PROFIS Doc

[armyres]

So, I recently drew the short straw and got attached as a PROFIS doc to a unit set to deploy this fall. I'm currently stationed on one side of the country, and this unit I'm (most likely) deploying with is based out of the other side of the country. Before I deploy, will my family and I PCS to where my deploying unit is based, or will my family just stay where we're currently stationed while I deploy with this unit?

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[Kingfisher]

So, I recently drew the short straw and got attached as a PROFIS doc to a unit set to deploy this fall. I'm currently stationed on one side of the country, and this unit I'm (most likely) deploying with is based out of the other side of the country. Before I deploy, will my family and I PCS to where my deploying unit is based, or will my family just stay where we're currently stationed while I deploy with this unit?

I am not familiar enough with how the Army does this. With the Navy, you PCS to where your parent command is. You can deploy with a different unit away from where your command is located but usually you are owned by someone. That someone has an address, and that's where you will go. If you so desire, your family can stay put while you deploy. Lots of folks do this especially if they are deploying right after getting to the new command as they are usually set up with their social support system in the old location. Then move after the deployment.

 

[colbgw02]

So, I recently drew the short straw and got attached as a PROFIS doc to a unit set to deploy this fall. I'm currently stationed on one side of the country, and this unit I'm (most likely) deploying with is based out of the other side of the country. Before I deploy, will my family and I PCS to where my deploying unit is based, or will my family just stay where we're currently stationed while I deploy with this unit?

I'm nearly certain that a PROFIS assignment is not a PCS.

 

[jabreal00]

So, I recently drew the short straw and got attached as a PROFIS doc to a unit set to deploy this fall. I'm currently stationed on one side of the country, and this unit I'm (most likely) deploying with is based out of the other side of the country. Before I deploy, will my family and I PCS to where my deploying unit is based, or will my family just stay where we're currently stationed while I deploy with this unit?

You don't PCS when you PROFIS with another unit. You may have to do pre-deployment training with your PROFIS unit for several weeks prior to deployment. You will outprocess of your current location and get deployment orders not PCS orders. Once you come back you may have some additional week or so with that unit before returning back to your assigned locations. Your family stays put. Some dependent spouses go back to stay with mom or dad while waiting for your deployment. Some stay put and wait.

 

[Homunculus]

You don't PCS when you PROFIS with another unit. You may have to do pre-deployment training with your PROFIS unit for several weeks prior to deployment. You will outprocess of your current location and get deployment orders not PCS orders. Once you come back you may have some additional week or so with that unit before returning back to your assigned locations. Your family stays put. Some dependent spouses go back to stay with mom or dad while waiting for your deployment. Some stay put and wait.

this.

technically i think they are TCS orders (temporary change of station) spelling out the position you are PROFIS to. no moving is required. be sure to take advantage of all admin time you can to outprocess and get everything squared away.

good luck

--your friendly neighborhood OIF PROFIS vet caveman

 

[Ziehl-Neelsen]

Once you come back you may have some additional week or so with that unit before returning back to your assigned locations.

The rib filled a PROFIS billet with 3BCT, 4ID during OND. Upon return to Ft. Carson the brigade commander informed all the PROFIS docs that he would be keeping them at Carson for the maximum allowed time (12 weeks). This is command dependent.

 

[Homunculus]

The rib filled a PROFIS billet with 3BCT, 4ID during OND. Upon return to Ft. Carson the brigade commander informed all the PROFIS docs that he would be keeping them at Carson for the maximum allowed time (12 weeks). This is command dependent.

true as well. this went into effect while i was in iraq, it is basically kick in the ass to the PROFIS docs who aren't organic to the unit. everyone else is home except for you. you experience will depend on your brigade, hopefully your brigade surgeon has his/her crap together and will use the rear D organic providers (typically PA's) to handle all the post deployment stuff. the other thing they won't tell you up front is that the returnign unit will likely have block leave for several weeks while you are assigned to this tail end duty. so you may not have much to do.

we had a one week "re-integration" thing that was mandatory, but was only a half day per day for a week.

my advice for avoiding this is to be proactive-- get the post deployment health assessments done in theater before you redeploy, and have consults needed for each soldier on a spreadsheet or something so when you get back some other provider can sit and enter them. encourage your brigade surgeon to think about these things as well-- i can't imagine the morale killer knowing your deployment is effectively 3 months longer than everyone else. these units functioned fine before you arrived, and there's no need for them to continue to need you once you return. the line is spoiled and unfortunately don't always know it.

--your friendly neighborhood you have your own people to use/abuse, leave me alone caveman

 

[armyres]

Thanks for the PCSing clarification; and thanks as well for the tips! Any advice about what to expect and how to help make this deployment go smoothly and efficiently (as possible) is always most welcome.

 

[UltimateDO]

Thanks for the PCSing clarification; and thanks as well for the tips! Any advice about what to expect and how to help make this deployment go smoothly and efficiently (as possible) is always most welcome.

You have PM

Agree with above, you might need to make a pitch to the BN commander if they are going to keep you. I was in exactly the scenario above, I was last minute PROFISed to a unit out of Ft. Lewis and actually had to meet them in theater. When re-deploying the CSM wanted to take me back to JBLM for the tail 3 months. I sat down with the BN XO and CO, laid out my plan for the BN medical redeployment and told them I would prefer not to have a 15 month deployment. When you pitch it like that, they might have a little sympathy / perspective....maybe

Totally agree with the in-theater PDHA with spreadsheet for consults. I was emailing the rear-D daily for the last month we were there with the updated consult list in addition to TBI and BH at-risk SM for them to keep an eye on. You can also make your PA's life a lot easier for 12 months if you knock out the PHA (literally just an extra check box) at the same time.

 

[TurtleDO2012]

http://armyphysician.blogspot.com/

He references the ability to get paperwork going to try and do a split deployment at the very bottom of -Things I did just right during deployment.

Anyone familliar with that?

Is it still typical that you could be retained for 3 months after a deployment?

 

[Homunculus]

best thing is to talk to your ops people. the paperwork for a split deployment can't move forward until after you deploy. so having it all ready to go day 1 is important. it will go up the chain, then go to your unit to approve. typically, they do. sometimes (rarely) they say no. the "gotcha" at the end of deployment is still in effect, but probably impacts fewer people now. this still depends on your brigade surgeon and their staffing plan but i can't see it being the full 90 days very often since there are more rear-D bodies to go around than even a few years ago. good news would be the 2nd half person of a split deployment would spend more time stateside instead of dodging IDF.

--your friendly neighborhood i'll take the back half please caveman

 

[chronick]

true as well. this went into effect while i was in iraq, it is basically kick in the ass to the PROFIS docs who aren't organic to the unit. everyone else is home except for you. you experience will depend on your brigade, hopefully your brigade surgeon has his/her crap together and will use the rear D organic providers (typically PA's) to handle all the post deployment stuff. the other thing they won't tell you up front is that the returnign unit will likely have block leave for several weeks while you are assigned to this tail end duty. so you may not have much to do.

we had a one week "re-integration" thing that was mandatory, but was only a half day per day for a week.

my advice for avoiding this is to be proactive-- get the post deployment health assessments done in theater before you redeploy, and have consults needed for each soldier on a spreadsheet or something so when you get back some other provider can sit and enter them. encourage your brigade surgeon to think about these things as well-- i can't imagine the morale killer knowing your deployment is effectively 3 months longer than everyone else. these units functioned fine before you arrived, and there's no need for them to continue to need you once you return. the line is spoiled and unfortunately don't always know it.

--your friendly neighborhood you have your own people to use/abuse, leave me alone caveman

This is also dependent on your SRP site. I did those things and it was a complete waste of time, because our SRP site just trashed the spreadsheet, and re-signed the PDHAs, so they could get the credit. If your base still has an SRP site, check with them prior to doing something like this.

 

[Homunculus]

This is also dependent on your SRP site. I did those things and it was a complete waste of time, because our SRP site just trashed the spreadsheet, and re-signed the PDHAs, so they could get the credit. If your base still has an SRP site, check with them prior to doing something like this.

sorry man, that sucks. :-/ in our case it saved us a lot of work. but i guess in your case someone needed the work to justify their existence.

--your friendly neighborhood best laid plans caveman