Question about joining

Balko · Jan 7, 2007

I've had mixed reports. I've heard some people have gotten waivers for them, and that some were completely rejected. My friend who's in AIT right now says that in basic, he saw people at Ft. Leonard Wood who had inhalers and waivers for asthma, likely in order to meet recruiting numbers.

Now I don't know if the older military members know if this is true or not, but I really want to join the army, and I'll trust the final say of the forum members. I haven't had an asthma attack in years, so I think my doctor will definitely get me a waiver. And I'll definitely be in enough shape to join.

My best guess is some people will allow asthatics in and some won't.

(If for some reason that you need to crush my dream, I would appreciate you do so lightly. Or preferably give me a false sense of hope.)

BoazB · Jan 9, 2007

Balko, I don't know much about the US policy, but I know that in South Africa during the Cold War, National Service call-up you had to be very close to dead for them to leave you alone. Volunteers always had a niche somewhere. The main thing was that the PTI/Drill sergeant had to be aware of your medical condition that he didn't drive you so hard that you collapsed and he might be in trouble.

As I said in another thread, You would be rated Physically / Psychologically as follows:

G1K1 = Can be a combatant, can be posted far from medical centre. (or be shipboard navy)
G3K2 = Can be posted far from medical centre, usually if volunteers.
G4K4 = must be posted near a medical centre.

Some G1K1 guys would have been trained infantry (maybe 1 out of 8)
The rest were drivers, mechanics, admin, medics etc.

I remember guys who were medics, complete with asthma pumps and all. Once we went to voluntary PT, one guy clutched his chest, and two other guys who were now tired of PT quickly dragged him out of the front line. (They did sit him up and watch him till he recovered.)

What I am trying to say is that there is something for everybody to do. The US goverment is not looking for cannon fodder - that doesn't win anything. The rambo's will be infantry, and "weeds" will back them up (JOking - some highly skilled, non-physical members always needed for other extremely important - maybe even life-saving - jobs to do.) The idea is to "Be the best YOU can be" not to kill you before you even see the enemy.

Take courage friend - there will be plenty to do.

Balko · Jan 11, 2007

No offense to your country, but South Africa doesn't seem to be nit-picky with the health of their soldiers. I just hope the Iraq war crisis makes US the same way. Previously, they would flat out say no to those wanting to join. Then they softened up saying if you've never had asthma after age 13 you could joined, which wasn't much point because it meant you didn't have real asthma, but temporary childhood asthma.

The active-duty army is said to be at their breaking point right now, but I just hope they still aren't stiff as they were a year ago or whatnot. I know a girl who got turned down and she just wanted to be a nurse.

I wouldn't mind being a combat engineer though, as I'm pretty good with math, and machines, and I hear they're always in high demand.

justanobserver · Jan 11, 2007

Balko said:
I've had mixed reports. I've heard some people have gotten waivers for them, and that some were completely rejected. My friend who's in AIT right now says that in basic, he saw people at Ft. Leonard Wood who had inhalers and waivers for asthma, likely in order to meet recruiting numbers.

Now I don't know if the older military members know if this is true or not, but I really want to join the army, and I'll trust the final say of the forum members. I haven't had an asthma attack in years, so I think my doctor will definitely get me a waiver. And I'll definitely be in enough shape to join.

My best guess is some people will allow asthatics in and some won't.

(If for some reason that you need to crush my dream, I would appreciate you do so lightly. Or preferably give me a false sense of hope.)

I enlisted USMC in the 70s and I had asthma but as a kid and hadnt had any attacks after age 8 or so. My doictor had documented all this for me. When you fill out the questionairs on medical history - you will be asked if you have had asthma, lung problems, etc. list ALL that you know or remember and the recruiter will tell you what further is needed.

I am not a doctor nor up on the current medical requirements but to my knowledge asthma related go/no go for enlistment was based on how long since last attack amd severity.

I had re-enlisted and went Army in '83 and went to Fort Lost In the Woods for school. not a bad base. had a good bass lake there. Got out in Dec '00 and now am trying to get back in again! I got 18 yrs and need 2 mroe to lock in retirement. I am suppose to take a physical this coming 20 Jan.

Best of luck to you and I hope you get what you want.

BoazB · Jan 13, 2007

Balko said:
No offense to your country, but South Africa doesn't seem to be nit-picky with the health of their soldiers.

No offense taken Balko - I think you made a pretty good assessment.

I think they got away with it a lot with that policy simply because most joiners came straight out of (elementry) school with a very intense sport programme, so flat feet and funny knees in most cases were of no concerne.

BoazB · Jan 13, 2007

A draft system brings in an interesting psyche. Instead of saying that "You can only join if you are in the top 100 etc. and if we need you," it changes to, "It's the law and none of you guys can have an excuse (because we need to have as many as possible) and we will turn over every stone and look underneath to see if there are any dodgers."

Having got them in, the military try and take them as far as they can go. These are usually war situations that involve survival of some sort, and to not allow any loopholes becomes the "nit-picky" part of it.

I'ddie4him2 · Jan 13, 2007

justanobserver said:
I enlisted USMC in the 70s and I had asthma but as a kid and hadnt had any attacks after age 8 or so. My doictor had documented all this for me. When you fill out the questionairs on medical history - you will be asked if you have had asthma, lung problems, etc. list ALL that you know or remember and the recruiter will tell you what further is needed.

I am not a doctor nor up on the current medical requirements but to my knowledge asthma related go/no go for enlistment was based on how long since last attack amd severity.

I had re-enlisted and went Army in '83 and went to Fort Lost In the Woods for school. not a bad base. had a good bass lake there. Got out in Dec '00 and now am trying to get back in again! I got 18 yrs and need 2 mroe to lock in retirement. I am suppose to take a physical this coming 20 Jan.

Best of luck to you and I hope you get what you want.

And here I did just the opposite.
Went from Army to USMC.
I was a OSUT for 12b10 myself.
B-2-2 back in 81
I remember map reading trekking thru the Mark Twain national forest and running thru the big and little piney rivers.

cassie121 · Jan 14, 2007

Ya, getting a waiver for asthma isn't too much of a problem. I'm obviously not in the military YET but I've talked to recruiters. They pretty much said as long as your not using your inhaler regularly your fine.

rppearso · Jan 17, 2007

Also remember that just because you dont need your inhaler now during normal sane life does not mean you wont need it when crap hits the fan in basic and you are getting 4-5 hrs of sleep a night. Just make sure its very well documented and everyone is aware you have asmtha so if something happens in basic you wont be stuck there to the end of time in a hold over platton, if you are unlucky you could get yourself into a nightmare situation. I forgot the link to the article I found but it goes into vivid detail about the atrocities that thoes in the medical hold over plattons endure. As soon as I find it I will post it, it will make you think long and hard about joining.

Here it is: http://onlyvolunteers.blogspot.com/2006/04/fort-sills-adjutant-general-supports.html

I had a busted ankle about mid way through basic and I would have gone AWOL before I went to PTRP, I managed to get out and I would be darned if I was going to get on a plane to fly to any other training. Definatly something to think about.

Angeldove97 · Jan 17, 2007

If your asthma isn't that bad and this is what you'd like to do, then I'd say go for it. I'm not sure about the rules and such (I'm not Military) but I found an interesting article that might help:

[SIZE=+1]COPD Overshadows Asthma In Veterans[/SIZE] - Stephen Spotswood
WASHINGTON-Many chronic diseases that are prevalent in the general population are found with greater frequency in the veteran population: diabetes, dementia and arthritis, to name a few. The mere fact that the average age of a patient treated in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system is greater than that found in the private sector leads to a skewing of the numbers of disease found in VA. And this is before taking into account the wear, tear and trauma inflicted on a veteran's body during his or her duties while a member of the military.
However, asthma is not one of those overly prevalent diseases in VA. In fact, it occurs less in the veteran population than in the population as a whole. While estimates of the percentage of asthma sufferers found in the United States range between five and 10 per cent of the population, the VA's hovers between three and four per cent, or about 200,000 veterans.
This lower rate of asthma in VA can be accounted for by one simple reason: to be a veteran, you must first be enrolled in the military, and most asthmatics are screened out by the Department of Defense (DoD).
In August 1995, a DoD directive mandated disqualification of all applicants for asthma who are reliably diagnosed at any age. Waivers were approved if there was no documentation of symptoms since age 12, and other waivers could still be granted after a review of an applicant's medical records.
While some have argued that, with proper medication, those suffering from asthma can perform in the military, DoD is relatively steadfast in its rules. According to DoD, asthma was a concern for military physicians during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. A large number of them reported asthma as a handicap to servicemember performance, citing problems for asthma sufferers with gas masks and with nerve agent antidotes. Also, common battlefield conditions such as exposure to smoke, fumes, dust and excess heat and cold were found to aggravate pre-existing asthma.

Read the rest here: http://www.usmedicine.com/article.cfm?articleID=1336&issueID=88

Don't let bad stories get to you either... not all of the Military is horrible and scary. Some people have bad experiences, but don't lose hope... I know many many guys who LOVE it in the Military and are very proud of what they're doing for their country.

Good luck and I hope you get a chance of serving in the military!!

rppearso · Jan 17, 2007

I hope the military is a much better experence for you than it was for me, I never thought that stuff could happen to me, but it did so maybe that will lower the chances it will happen to you. I think it is only fair to make you aware of the "horror stories" though.

ChristianMilitaryWife · Jan 18, 2007

As for the original question... Here is a place to get a detailed list of what is and isn't deemed as a medical DQ. It also goes over the process of getting a waiver and things like that. http://usmilitary.about.com/od/joiningthemilitary/a/intmedstandards.htm

Removing quotes because my response was removed while others hateful,insulting and spiteful spouting was left. It's so nice to see where the mods really stand when it comes to supporting the troops on a forum meant for the troops. Pretty sad when they can't even come here to escape the negative comments.

Balko · Jan 19, 2007

yeah, yeah, I heard all about the gas chamber and making the walls sweat, but I'm still determined to join. The thing is I have used an inhaler after my 13th birthday, but I never had to be hospitalized for it. My doctor says I would probably do alright within the military, but the problem is what the military thinks.

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