Medical records now sent through the mail during PCS Published March 8, 2010 By Tech. Sgt. Vernon J. Cunningham 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Lt. Gen. Charles Green, U.S. Air Force surgeon general, recently pushed out a new policy on the custody and control of health treatment records. The change affects the standard policy of hand carrying personal medical and dental records during a permanent change of station. Medical records are no longer authorized to be hand carried during a PCS. All medical treatment records will be mailed using secure method which offers tracking and arrival confirmation. This policy is effective immediately and includes active duty Airmen, dependents and retirees. Personnel in active flying status, the personal reliability program or the presidential support program are exempt and can carry only the active-duty medical record. Active-duty sponsors are not authorized to carry their family member's health records without Medical Treatment Facility commander's approval. "This new method will allow the record maintainers to have full control of the records at all times," said Staff Sgt. Benjamin Wise, outpatient records supervisor. "This will ensure that no records will be lost and it will improve the availability of records at the patient's visit." Sergeant Wise said the new process will not affect deploying members. Airmen in Training will have their records mailed to their next base by Student Health Records personnel. The policy was needed because of the increase of medical records not being located throughout the Air Force Medical System when a member, and their dependants, move from one base to the next, said Sergeant Wise. "This gives the records custodian a more firm handle on military medical records and their location," he said. For any questions, please contact Debbie Cahill, release of information, at 940-676-3765.