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MILITARY AIRCREW EVALUATION
(EXTRACT FROM IAP 4303)
INTRODUCTION
The Air Force medical services are responsible for maintaining a high standard of physical and mental fitness of all air force personnel so as to ensure maximum operational efficiency of the human element of the force, Selection into the Air force should be of individuals who are medically fit to perform duties under all Conditions of peace and war, in all terrains, in all climatic conditions and in any part of the world.
Periodic medical examinations, therefore, have a two-fold aim. Firstly, they help in primary prevention of disease so that early treatment and rehabilitation can be provided. Such examinations also provide valuable information necessary for developing methodologies for arresting and reversing the sub clinical disease processes. Secondly, they determine an individual's capacity to carry out the service tasks required of him or her. In cases where a disease or disability has occurred, or has been detected, the criteria for medical fitness should be the individual's ability to satisfactorily discharge his or her duties in peace and war and to ensure that the task does not impose any risk to the individual or to the service, because of a individual's physical handicap. Certain restrictions on employability may become necessary to ensure that the health of an individual is not adversely affected by service conditions. These restrictions are imposed in the form of lower medical category, which should be clearly indicative of any restriction of employability.
IAP 4303
This IAP is comprehensive document, which deals with important aspects of fitness of Indian Air Force personnel. This section deals with general considerations.
INITIAL MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS
In case of candidates for commissioning in the officers' cadre this examination is to be carried out at AFCME/IAM, while for enrollment for Airmen / NCs (E) it is to be carried out at Airmen Selection Centers (ASCs). The purpose of this medical evaluation is to ensure that each candidate fulfills the medical qualifying standards for his branch or trade into which he or she is seeking entry. Every effort is made to detect any disease or infirmity, which may at a later date affect the physical and mental capacity of the individual adversely. During the initial medical examination the benefit of doubt regarding fitness or otherwise goes to the State. This is to avoid likely drop-outs and subsequent invalidments due to disabilities when sizeable expenditure on training has been incurred by the State
RELEASE MEDICAL BOARDS
Release Medical Boards are conducted to asses the fitness of the individual at the time of his/ her release from service so as to assess the effects of service career on his/ her health, if any, and to decide fitness for commutation of pension. In cases of prior disability the attributability/ aggravation factors, percentage of. disablement and frequency. of review and fitness for civil employment after release from service are also decided in a release medical board.
INVALIDING MEDICAL BOARDS
These are held when, due to disease or disability, an individual can no longer perform his or her service duties. Such cases are invalided out of service.
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