440-FGIMDs and the Military Service Member

There is an old Civil War saying, “It takes good guts to be a soldier.” While this was most likely an adage that described the grit and bravery required to be a warfighter, it also described the chronic bowel problems the service member faced from poor nutrition and uninhabitable living conditions. However, this adage also applies to the present day where there are a number of common chronic gastrointestinal (GI) disorders which today’s service members may experience. At the top of the list are functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID) such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), functional dyspepsia, functional constipation, and functional abdominal pain syndrome (FAPS). While these disorders occur frequently in the civilian population, there are some unique aspects that can affect the active service member and veteran. Updated 2021