Routine Procedure Isn’t

Two years ago Senior Airman Colton Read was an imagery analyst for the Air Force. Deciding to have elective surgery on his gallbladder to relieve him of chronic pain so that he could deploy to a warzone, Read came out of surgery missing both of his legs.

During the procedure, which was supposed to be routine, a resident punctured a major blood vessel, resulting in blood flow issues which caused the tissue in his legs to begin to die. The doctors were forced to amputate both of his legs, just above the knee and one at mid-thigh.

Thanks to the Feres Doctrine, the Air Force is preventing Read from collecting $100,000 from the Servicemember’s Group Life Insurance traumatic injury program to help alleviate the new costs associated with having to live without his legs.

The Feres Doctrine “protects” the Air Force by preventing Senior Airman Read from taking legal action against his military doctor or the hospital. Now, instead of a fulfilling career serving his country, Read can’t even get the funds he needs to help himself and his family in their time of need.