"You'll see an officer doctor."
If you think military medicine is good, you're probably an officer, a civilian who knows retired officers, or an ignoramus. Stepping Off discusses many facets of military medicine. Have you ever seen a dentist for a torn Achilles tendon or for PTSD evaluation? I have.
Gary was on the losing end of this conversation (6/16/03):
With a fixed set of doctors, medicine is a zero-sum game. If officers see better doctors, enlisted men see worse ones, period. Officers also have better access to doctors. They see doctors whenever they want. Enlisted Marines can only see a corpsman at a set hour four times per week.
I know an extremely talented surgeon who started out in the military. When his daughter needed intricate surgery, he said she got the best care available. Me: "Was the surgeon randomly selected?" Him: "Of course not. I picked the best surgeon in the military." Okay, then who operated on the lance corporal's daughter?
It's frustrating how many journalists, politicians, professors, etc., can't distinguish between zero-sum games and transactions that benefit all parties. "Trade deficit" sounds scary, but you want a trade deficit with your pharmacist. He makes a few bucks and you get cured of ebola. Trade arises for good reasons: Country A has sand, B has glue, C has paper. Vendor D wants to make sandpaper. Guess what he does?
By contrast, there are a limited number of seats at Harvard. Only X E-8s will make E-9 this year. If something is a plus factor for one group, not having that characteristic is a minus factor for the others. Ask the Asian male who applies to Harvard, or the corporal who goes to sick call.
My dentist can give you the answer.
Gary was on the losing end of this conversation (6/16/03):
With a fixed set of doctors, medicine is a zero-sum game. If officers see better doctors, enlisted men see worse ones, period. Officers also have better access to doctors. They see doctors whenever they want. Enlisted Marines can only see a corpsman at a set hour four times per week.
I know an extremely talented surgeon who started out in the military. When his daughter needed intricate surgery, he said she got the best care available. Me: "Was the surgeon randomly selected?" Him: "Of course not. I picked the best surgeon in the military." Okay, then who operated on the lance corporal's daughter?
It's frustrating how many journalists, politicians, professors, etc., can't distinguish between zero-sum games and transactions that benefit all parties. "Trade deficit" sounds scary, but you want a trade deficit with your pharmacist. He makes a few bucks and you get cured of ebola. Trade arises for good reasons: Country A has sand, B has glue, C has paper. Vendor D wants to make sandpaper. Guess what he does?
By contrast, there are a limited number of seats at Harvard. Only X E-8s will make E-9 this year. If something is a plus factor for one group, not having that characteristic is a minus factor for the others. Ask the Asian male who applies to Harvard, or the corporal who goes to sick call.
My dentist can give you the answer.
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