Redeem now A contract posted on the Federal Business Opportunities website Feb. 4 has called for competing bids on 75 breast implants of various sizes, to be delivered to the medical center on Andrews Air Force Base. All jokes aside about ordering an odd number, the military needs a few fake boobs from time to time.
There are two main reasons:
1. Reconstructive surgery with regard to combat injuries or illness.
2. Surgeons regularly need to perform certain types of surgery to maintain their certifications.
Because of the certification requirements, service members can get on waiting lists for elective surgery at their base, but their insurance would not cover the operation. Tricare, the medical insurance provider for the Department of Defense, has a complicated little calculator the determines the price of these surgeries.
Chances are these surgeries could be cheaper than those on the private side, but they could also be riskier.
First of all, surgeons on the military base probably don't do a lot of breast implants. Second of all, the contract for such a cosmetic surgery stipulates (of course) that DoD is not responsible for any follow-up treatment.
It's also easier to sue a private surgeon than it is the Pentagon.
Service members have also been known to get elective surgery — like eyesight correction — as a re-enlistment stipulation.
But that was back in feast time for the services, when bonuses were plentiful and the money was rolling. Now, facing famine and downsizing, many in uniform would consider the opportunity to stay in the service as bonus enough.
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