A shot to health Published Aug. 7, 2012 By Airman 1st Class Damon Kasberg 7th Bomb Wing Public Affairs DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- A new Air Force policy mandates servicemembers to receive a vaccine for tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis. Tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis can be very serious diseases. Tetanus causes painful muscle spasms and stiffness, usually all over the body. It can lead to tightening of muscles in the head and neck so the victim cannot open his or her mouth or swallow, or sometimes even breathe. Diphtheria can cause a thick membrane to cover the back of the throat leading to breathing problems, paralysis, heart failure and death. Pertussis, better known as whooping cough, causes severe coughing spells, which can lead to difficulty breathing, vomiting and disturbed sleep. "The Air Force is making the TDaP immunization shot mandatory due to the rising number of whooping cough cases in the United States," said Staff Sgt. Heather Phinney, 7th Medical Group. "It's important to have because we don't want to pass it on to children or adults, and ensure we're not adding to an epidemic." Once the TDaP vaccine is received, a person is only required to get the Tetanus-Diphtheria vaccine every ten years. To see if you need your vaccine, logon to https://imr.afms.mil/imr/MyIMR.aspx (CAC enabled).