Understanding Medical Standards for Entrance Into Military Service and Disqualifying Dermatologic Conditions

The military is a desirable career field for many young adults; however, the Department of Defense (DoD) requires its members to maintain a level of health necessary to meet the physical demands of military duties and be able to deploy to austere environments. The strict standards are designed to protect the health of the individual and maximize mission success. Standards for entrance into the US Armed Forces, called accession standards, are codified in DoD Instruction 6130.03, Volume 1 and include a section dedicated to skin and soft tissue conditions. This document lists medical conditions that do not meet the standard due to current and prior diagnoses and is regularly updated by a board using the best available scientific evidence. Applicants who do not meet the physical and medical standards can be considered for a medical waiver, although not guaranteed. Generally, retention standards differ for those already serving in the military and will not be addressed here. The focus of this article is to inform the general dermatologic community that these standards exist, to discuss specific dermatologic conditions that are disqualifying at the current time, and to provide resources for the dermatologist or primary care physician to access current information.