Hemoglobin S levels in sickle cell trait individuals

Changes in Department of Defense regulations now permit persons with sickle cell trait to serve in all service branches. However, for purposes of the regulation, sickle cell trait is defined as 41% or less S hemoglobin. Our screening experience, based on 397 individuals with sickle cell trait, with quantitative scan of cellulose acetate electrophoretic sheets, indicates that 20-40% (depending on definition of terms) of individuals with sickle cell trait would be excluded by this criterion.