The Specialist Joey Lenz Act of 2024 H.R. 10093

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Congressman Morgan Luttrell, TX-8 introduced The Specialist Joey Lenz Act of 2024 in the House Armed Services Committee on November 1, 2024, to amend title 10, United States Code to direct the Secretary of Defense to include certain tests as part of the periodic health assessments provided to members of the Armed Forces. H.R. 10093 reads: “Beginning in 2025 the Secretary of Defense will include an annual sports physical with an electrocardiogram, and bloodwork that includes a comprehensive metabolic blood panel and complete blood count, and if necessary, a thyroid stimulating hormone test and a brain natriuretic peptide test. This will include any other test or evaluation determined appropriate by the Secretary.”

“Our service members dedicate their lives to defend us and in turn, we have a responsibility to ensure their health is protected,” said Congressman Luttrell. “By enhancing routine health assessments, The Specialist Joey Lenz Act honors Specialist Lenz’s legacy and makes a proactive approach to support the well-being of all who serve.”

History:
Specialist Joey Lenz, Conroe, Texas (32) was serving in the United States Army at Fort Hood, Texas. He enlisted in the Army on September 18, 2017, completed Basic Combat Training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina on December 4, 2017, and Advanced Individual Training as a 91D Generator Mechanic at Fort Lee, Virginia on March 7, 2018. He was deployed to the Republic of Korea October 2019 through February 2021 where he served as a Tactical Power Generator Specialist. As a generator mechanic he received many accolades including the National Defense Service Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, and the Overseas Service Ribbon.

Joey died February 1, 2022, while sleeping in his barracks at Fort Hood TX. His heart was extremely enlarged, and there was evidence of a heart condition from a lab report of March 17, 2021, when he was in ICU at Darnell Army Medical Center. The Army medical staff failed to share this with Specialist Lenz, and he died Feb 1, 2022, with a heart 3X the normal size. An annual physical could have saved his life.

Physicals are mandated annually online and are self-report surveys without any true physical exam. Since 2016, service members have not received EKG’s, neurological tests, or any blood work as preventive care unless they have a particular high level job clearance or are officers.

“My son was a fun, happy soldier who made people smile daily,” said Mom Margie Taylor. “This was unexpected as he was speaking to me the night before he died. He said I love you, mom. I will call you tomorrow. I must be up at 3:00am to go to the motor pool. Tomorrow never came and he had died by 6:00am the next day while sleeping in his barracks.”

Joey’s birthday was November 16. He was 32 when he died, and on the 16th, he would have been 35. All he wanted in life was to make people happy, have children and a dog or a cat.

We have a commitment to keep our military safe and healthy so they can keep us safe as part of our national security. Our military deserves the same health protocols as we receive as civilians.

H.R. 10093-The Specialist Joey Lenz Act of 2024:

• Introduction by Congressman Morgan Luttrell 11/1/24 in the House Armed Services Committee
• Enhances Health Assessments for all U.S. Armed Forces
• Mandates physicals in person with a comprehensive blood panel and EKGs annually
• As Americans we have a responsibility to ensure our military are healthy with physicals in person vs online surveys.
• Preventive care will document pre-existing conditions while active.
• Costs of Veteran care will decrease with preventive care while actively serving.
• https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/10093/text