jcj
Registered User
Unless they have a reason to access medical files, medical personnel and recruiters or accident investigators I presume among others, they don't just let anyone look at personal medical files in the military.
Privacy and security of Protected Health Information is a really big deal in both the military and civilian health care community these days.
In fact, although HIPAA is mostly an administrative and civil law, it has a criminal component. Persons who access protected heath information without a proper reason can (and have been) prosecuted. There was a high profile case in my hometown where a physician and two hospital employees snooped into the medical records of a TV anchor who had been severely beaten and was hospitalized (they were not involved in her care). They were caught, prosecuted and pled guilty to federal misdemeanors. They escaped jail time, but had to pay a fine and do community service, and now have lifelong federal criminal records.
Here is another HIPAA prosecution - this guy actually had to do some time http://www.inforisktoday.com/blogs/court-clarifies-hipaas-criminal-rules-p-1274.
Note that these folks got in trouble just for snooping. None of them tried to sell or take advantage of the info, which would get them in even more trouble.
All health care personnel (military and civilian) are extensively trained in HIPAA requirements these days. I won't tell you that snooping doesn't happen, but I think it's uncommon. But on the other hand know that anyone involved in health care has access to your protected health information to the extent needed to do their job. And there are special military considerations in the article I posted earlier.