H.R. 1014-˗Specialist Joey Lenz Act

Purpose:

Ensuring members of the armed forces receive annual periodic health assessments that require electrocardiograms, blood work, and a sports physical. 

History:

Specialist (SPC) Joey Lenz (32 years old), from Conroe, Texas served in the United States Army at Fort Cavazos, Texas (formerly Fort Hood). 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 deployed to the Republic of Korea from 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.

On February 1, 2022, SPC Lenz tragically passed away while sleeping in his barracks at Fort Cavazos. Several indicators contributed to his death including a toxic and hostile leadership, prescription drug interaction (serotonin syndrome), depression, and anxiety. At the time of his untimely passing, Spc. Lenz’s heart was significantly enlarged, with his heart being 3x the normal size. This medical issue was previously noted in a lab report done on March 17, 2021, almost a full year prior to his death, while he was being treated in the ICU at Darnell Army Medical Center. The Army medical staff failed to share this finding with Spc. Lenz at that time, and no follow up on his enlarged heart was ever done prior to his death. Spc. Lenz was also prescribed medications for his mental health conditions that have known side effects for individuals with hearth issues that should not have been provided to him after the issue with his heart was noted by medical providers. Spc. Lenz’s death was preventable and medical intervention, counseling on medications, and/or follow up that should have been done after his heart condition was noted in March 2021 could have saved his life.

The DOD currently mandates that service members undergo annual physical exams; however, these exams do not require any EKG’s, neurological testing, and/or blood work be done and instead these exams are basically a self-report procedural check done annually. Consistent counseling with preventive actions for drug interactions and lab work should be mandatory for prescriptions should be mandatory for our service members. 

We have a commitment to keep our military safe and healthy so they can keep us safe and protect our national security and freedom.  Our service members deserve adequate health treatment and providing them with some of the same health protocols that we receive as civilians when prescribed medications and/or have physicals conducted is a simple way to achieve that. Therefore, Congress should support and pass the Specialist Joey Lenz Act of 2025 as it will help ensure the health and well-being of our military and accountability in military medicine, and undoubtably safe lives of our service members by preventing deaths like SPC.Lenz’s from occurring in the future.

SUMMARY ON H.R. 1014- Specialist Joey Lenz Act of 2025

• Introduced by Congressman Morgan Luttrell on 11/1/24, reintroduced on 2/5/25 and referred to the Committee on Armed Services in the House of Representatives.
• This bill seeks to enhance the annual health assessments conducted by the DOD for members of Armed Forces in each branch of the military.
• This bill mandates that service members annually undergo 1) a sports physical examination in person; 2) have an electrocardiogram conducted; 3) have blood work taken, which includes a comprehensive metabolic panel and complete blood count; and 4) if necessary, a thyroid stimulating hormone test, brain natriuretic peptide test, and any other test that the DOD Secretary determines to be necessary.
• As Americans we have a responsibility to ensure our military service members are healthy with physicals are done in person vs online.
• Providing preventive care like these health screenings will ensure any documented pre-existing conditions that are noted will be treated appropriately and adequately prior to a preventable death occurring.
• The costs of Veteran care will decrease with preventive care like the measures in this Bill.
• Providing these additional protections to our service members will not result in any excessive monetary burden on the federal government and operations of the DOD.