# Plastic Surgery on  U.S. Taxpayers Dime



## KenpoTess (Jul 23, 2004)

Bigger breasts offered as perk to U.S. soldiers
Plastic surgery available on taxpayers' dime
Updated: 10:34 a.m. ET July 22, 2004NEW YORK - The U.S. Army has long lured recruits with the slogan &#8220;Be All You Can Be,&#8221; but now soldiers and their families can receive plastic surgery, including breast enlargements, on the taxpayers&#8217; dime.


The New Yorker magazine reports in its July 26th edition that members of all four branches of the U.S. military can get face-lifts, breast enlargements, liposuction and nose jobs for free -- something the military says helps surgeons practice their skills.

&#8220;Anyone wearing a uniform is eligible,&#8221; Dr. Bob Lyons, chief of plastic surgery at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio told the magazine, which said soldiers needed the approval of their commanding officers to get the time off.

Between 2000 and 2003, military doctors performed 496 breast enlargements and 1,361 liposuction surgeries on soldiers and their dependents, the magazine said.

The magazine quoted an Army spokeswoman as saying, &#8220;the surgeons have to have someone to practice on.&#8221; 

Copyright 2004 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Link Here 


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Good Grief~!


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## michaeledward (Jul 23, 2004)

Yes, I heard this report yesterday. I still haven't quite got my thoughts in order on this. 

Why would an Army Surgeon need the skill of performing liposuction in the first place? 
Why would a soldier be in the physical conditioning shape as to require liposuction?

But, all things considered, I think this is probably such a small problem that we shouldn't be distracted by it. Do we really need the Raptor (F-22), the Joint Strike Fighter (F-35), as well as spending over 100 million to update the F-18 E Super-Hornet? 

Talk about Good-Grief.

Mike


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## KenpoTess (Jul 23, 2004)

No we shouldn't be distracted by it.. but it does make one wonder.. It's rather strange that our Government would foot the bill for such nonsense.  And I'm reading it as not necessarily the soldiers  wanting the augmentions, but the family members. Gee I want bigger breasts.. Seig better go rejoin..  It's just a ridiculous concept...


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## Jade Tigress (Jul 23, 2004)

KenpoTess said:
			
		

> No we shouldn't be distracted by it.. but it does make one wonder.. It's rather strange that our Government would foot the bill for such nonsense.


Un - @#$%&* - ing believable. :xtrmshock 



			
				KenpoTess said:
			
		

> And I'm reading it as not necessarily the soldiers wanting the augmentions, but the family members. Gee I want bigger breasts.. Seig better go rejoin.. It's just a ridiculous concept...


Can you claim me as a dependent when he rejoins?


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## KenpoTess (Jul 23, 2004)

heheee.. well he was a Coastie.. so highly doubt he would join the Army.. 

The whole thing makes me just say .."HUH"~!


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## Jade Tigress (Jul 23, 2004)

KenpoTess said:
			
		

> The whole thing makes me just say .."HUH"~!


 
Yup.


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## Jade Tigress (Jul 23, 2004)

KenpoTess said:
			
		

> The whole thing makes me just say .."HUH"~!


Yup.


Oops! Sorry for the double post! (computer burp)


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## mj-hi-yah (Jul 23, 2004)

KenpoTess said:
			
		

> Anyone wearing a uniform is eligible, Dr. Bob Lyons, chief of plastic surgery at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio told the magazine, which said soldiers needed the approval of their commanding officers to get the time off.


Now let's think about this for a sec...it could be a perfect plan to control our interests all over the world!!! :mp5: Soldiers...put down your weapons and just blind 'em with your beauty  :rofl:


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## Jade Tigress (Jul 23, 2004)

mj-hi-yah said:
			
		

> Now let's think about this for a sec...it could be a perfect plan to control our interests all over the world!!! :mp5: Soldiers...put down your weapons and just blind 'em with your beauty  :rofl:


:boing2: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :boing2: 


:cheers:


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## Athena (Jul 24, 2004)

here's the real question... if the surgeons need practice, why would you want to be the one under the knife?


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## Taimishu (Jul 24, 2004)

Hi Tess

see http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?p=252266#post252266

Beat you :supcool: 

David


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## KenpoTess (Jul 25, 2004)

Hey David.. 

Check the posting times..

yours..

 07-23-2004, 12:34 PM

Mine
07-23-2004, 10:01 AM


Neeners. 

~Tess


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## dearnis.com (Jul 25, 2004)

Pretty amusing as it is written.  If you read between the lines the real story may be "We have to keep a number of cosmetic surgeons on staff to deal with burned, disfigured, and maimed young people, but when the work load is low we need them doing something to keep their skill level up, so what the heck, the officers might as well have "enhanced" wives, and heck, for those NCOs who married strippers, well, lets just raise their standard of living...."


(NOTE: Post intended to mix humor with another point of view; no slur on active or former US military intended or implied...)


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## Taimishu (Jul 25, 2004)

Now now Tess mine was GMT approx 8 hours ahead of you.   

David


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## TonyM. (Jul 25, 2004)

Grrrrrr! They should be spending money on usefull things like the air forces two hundred dollar hammers.


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## Matt Stone (Jul 25, 2004)

Let's keep things in perspective...

First, military healthcare is provided to servicemembers and their families by miltary personnel in the military medical field for free...  Why?  In order for the doctors, surgeons, specialists, and medics to keep their skills sharp, they need practice (like any other doctor, surgeon, specialist or medic).  Since this is their military duty, they aren't going to be paid above and beyond their regular military pay to do what they are required to do for Uncle Sam in the first place.

Second, not just any Tom, Dick and Sally are eligible for "surgical enhancement."  You must pass a battery of psychological exams before a surgeon will cut on you, and even if you have a passing exam a doc may still tell you no.  Cosmetic surgery is an elective procedure, and the docs aren't required to do it just because someone wants to float higher in the water.

I really hate the media for reporting only half the facts, and I hate civilians that know nothing about the internal workings of the military (or who were only exposed to it for a short time - I've been in for 12 years, and there are STILL things I'm learning...  kind of like MA, huh?) making judgement calls on what goes on in the service without having the right intel first...

And what dearnis said above is the right take (minus the humor):



> We have to keep a number of cosmetic surgeons on staff to deal with burned, disfigured, and maimed young people, but when the work load is low we need them doing something to keep their skill level up


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## KenpoTess (Jul 25, 2004)

David.. don'tcha know when you live in EST.. Everywhere else is just 'off'?  *snickers*


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## Taimishu (Jul 26, 2004)

OK Tess you win.
Sneaks off for a pint.

David


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## Jade Tigress (Jul 26, 2004)

I completely understand and agree with the need for surgeons to keep their skills up in order to perform what's necessary in reconstructive surgery. 

There is a plastic surgeon in my area that I saw a newspaper report on who donates one day a week to perform free reconstructive surgery to people who do not have insurance or who cannot afford what's left after insurance has paid. Every week he has children who have been victims of abuse, dog bites, cleft lip, fires, etc. Every week! Seems to me if the military would offer this type of service for their surgeons to practice it would really change some peoples lives. 

I have no problem with anyone who wants cosmetic surgery. I just think if someone does want it, it should be paid for personally. There are so many people that have been disfigured by accidents, tragedies, and birth defects that would benefit from charitable reconstructive surgery and the surgeons would be getting the practice they need to treat military personnel who suffer disfigurement in action.


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## Taimishu (Jul 26, 2004)

Sil Lum TigerLady said:
			
		

> I completely understand and agree with the need for surgeons to keep their skills up in order to perform what's necessary in reconstructive surgery.
> 
> There is a plastic surgeon in my area that I saw a newspaper report on who donates one day a week to perform free reconstructive surgery to people who do not have insurance or who cannot afford what's left after insurance has paid. Every week he has children who have been victims of abuse, dog bites, cleft lip, fires, etc. Every week! Seems to me if the military would offer this type of service for their surgeons to practice it would really change some peoples lives.
> 
> I have no problem with anyone who wants cosmetic surgery. I just think if someone does want it, it should be paid for personally. There are so many people that have been disfigured by accidents, tragedies, and birth defects that would benefit from charitable reconstructive surgery and the surgeons would be getting the practice they need to treat military personnel who suffer disfigurement in action.


And that says it all
Thankyou

David


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## Cryozombie (Jul 26, 2004)

Personally folks...

I don't see what the big freakin stink is about.

These people give up 2, 3, 4, 6, 20 whatever years of their lives in service to YOU. 

If they want free Boobs, noses, etc... So what?  I say giving people "rewards" and incentives to enlist is A O K.

Maybe we shouldnt pay for them to go to college either?  OH, or give them free meals.  They should be in and pay for their own housing too. And no more free Vision and Dental.

Come on.  I'm sure, also... if you look it up, there are a limited number of soldiers actually using these services, compared to the number of enlisted servicepeople.  Just because it made recent news headlines, does NOT mean its a widespread epidemic of Top-heavy female servicepeople on your dime... and again, if it is... so-freakin-what?  They do for you every day, what do you do in return?


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