An inpatient record of an Air Force Staff Sergeant admitted on 28 Dec 98 and dispositioned on 4 Jan 99 is eligible for retirement when?

The correct answer is based on the rules regarding the retirement of medical records within the military context. Specifically, inpatient medical records must be retained for a minimum of two years after the date of discharge. This means that in the case of the Air Force Staff Sergeant who was admitted on December 28, 1998, and discharged on January 4, 1999, the clock for the retention period starts on the discharge date.

Calculating out two years from the discharge date of January 4, 1999, brings us to January 4, 2001. However, medical records are generally retired at the end of the calendar year; therefore, the eligibility for retirement is moved to the end of that year, which is December 31, 2001.

It's important to note that some policies may require retention for longer periods depending on specific circumstances (such as if the individual remains active duty or if litigation is pending). However, for basic eligibility, two years from discharge is standard.

Given this context, the next standard time for record retirement following that two-year rule would be the end of the next valid period, which would be considered as the end of December 2003. The final eligibility for retirement for the record is thus