What is a Military Advanced Medical Directive and Do You Need One?
A Military Advanced Medical Directive is a life planning document for individuals in the active military. In short, it is a living will that because of Federal Law can be used in any state.
It allows a military member to express their wishes and desires if it is determined that their death will occur whether or not life-sustaining procedures are utilized and where the application of life-sustaining procedures would serve only to artificially prolong the dying process. It is a declaration that life saving procedures like a respirator of feeding tube be withheld or withdrawn, and that the soldier be permitted to die naturally with only the administration of medication or the performance of any medical procedure deemed necessary to provide comfortable care.
Federal law exempts this living will from any requirement of form, substance, formality, or recording that is provided for advance medical directives under the laws of a state.
Military Advanced Medical Directives should be part of any life planning package for individuals in the military – especially those who travel or move frequently. Because it is governed by Federal Law – not state law – the individual will not need to have it rewritten every time the individual moves.
