Question Abour Joining the Military: Medical Issue

6,254 Views | 18 Replies | Last: 5 yr ago by Zulu451
Good Bull Jones 17
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When I was at A&M, I went through AFROTC and was disqualified from joining the Air Force because I have a life threatening tree nut allergy (and I was dumb enough to tell the doc).

Recently, I met this enlisted Navy guy who does something medical, and he told me that getting into the Navy would be no problem at all. He said if I didn't say anything about my allergy during the in-processing, then I would be able to get in. He also mentioned something about getting me to "talk to the right people," but hasn't been able to get ahold of said people.

I have a fine job, but would freaking love to be a pilot in the military and would jump at any chance to do that.

With my history, is there any chance of me joining another branch? Is lying about my allergy wise? The only thing that really scares me is the possibility of a dishonorable discharge. How likely is that?
74OA
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Lying is no way to go thru life. Your word as a man should mean something to you.

Even if you dissemble your way thru entrance screening, once the military eventually discovers your severe allergy--and it will--you'll be peremptorily discharged as unfit for service, having wasted both your time and the taxpayer's money. And, yes, lying and falsifying official documents could earn you a less-than-honorable discharge.
clarythedrill
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Depending on how long ago you were disqualified, your DODMERB physical may still be in the system and will be seen as soon as you go in for the new physical.

Also, the average medic has absolutely no idea about what is looked at in a DODMERB, so I would take his opinion with a grain of salt.
Complaint Investigator
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Do not lie to get into the military. Especially about something like that. What happens when you are flying an aircraft with a bunch of people on it and start having a reaction? You are putting not only yourself but other lives in jeopardy. Don't be that person.
Good Bull Jones 17
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I think this concern doesn't really make sense. If that were a legitimate concern, civilian pilots wouldn't be fit for service with allergies. And the FAA has no restrictions regarding that.
Good Bull Jones 17
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My dad (Lt Col ret., 23 years of service, USAF) told me the same thing back then. I guess because it's not the answer I want to hear I'm grasping at straws.

I just know that many recruiters have gotten many people to lie to DODMERB to get in, and I never heard of many folks who got kicked out when the military discovers "X" problem they have. But that doesn't mean it's right.
Complaint Investigator
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Good Bull Jones 17 said:

I think this concern doesn't really make sense. If that were a legitimate concern, civilian pilots wouldn't be fit for service with allergies. And the FAA has no restrictions regarding that.
There is a legitimate concern. That's why you can't join the military. This is not the FAA. This is the military. There are different rules, though you have to play by FAA rules as well as a pilot in the military when you are in the US.

There are nuts or the food was processed in a facility that has pine nuts in a bunch of the MRE's. What are you going to eat when there is nothing else to eat? What if you manage to avoid eating it, but a buddy next to you ate tree nuts and now you are having a reaction?

You are a liability in the military. That is why you cannot join. You are still a liability when you lie, except now you could be putting others lives in danger instead of just your own.

Don't come in here asking for advice about lying on federal forms and expect a warm reception. You won't find it. Because the next thing you will have to lie on is your security clearance paperwork.
CT'97
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Good Bull Jones 17 said:

My dad (Lt Col ret., 23 years of service, USAF) told me the same thing back then. I guess because it's not the answer I want to hear I'm grasping at straws.

I just know that many recruiters have gotten many people to lie to DODMERB to get in, and I never heard of many folks who got kicked out when the military discovers "X" problem they have. But that doesn't mean it's right.
People get kicked out for fraudulent enlistments all the time. Usually it happens at basic training and so doesn't get much attention. I was part of processing a case against a soldier who had done something similar and the Army took back his enlistment bonus and gave him an other than honorable discharge.
Presley OBannons Sword
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Good Bull Jones 17 said:

I think this concern doesn't really make sense. If that were a legitimate concern, civilian pilots wouldn't be fit for service with allergies. And the FAA has no restrictions regarding that.
if you think that things in the military have to "make sense" or be "legitimate" to be considered a concern, then you're already behind the power curve.

look, I get it...it sucks to be DQ'ed from something you want due to something beyond your control like an allergy. but **** happens dude. the rules are the rules.

that said, if you get in under false pretenses, the chance that you would be dishonorably discharged are virtually zero. that would require a court martial, and there is no way anyone would care enough to go through that ass pain. most likely you would just be administratively separated with a discharge under honorable conditions. but....maybe not, and not worth risking it.

best of luck with your civilian endeavors.
Rabid Cougar
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Have had a hearing loss since I was 2 years old. In 1984 I couldn't pass a hearing test to receive a Marine Corps Scholarship. Even offered to sign a waiver. They were concerned I would lose the rest of my hearing and could claim full disability when I was already 50% there.

Met with PX Kelly when he came to commission the new officers at G. Rollie. He had reviewed my records. Good grades. Maxed out PT scores, the works. Told me that there were very few things a Commandant of the Marine Corps couldn't overcome but one of them was a Navy Doctor.

Unfortunately, sometimes no means no.

Trinity Ag
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Good Bull Jones 17 said:

When I was at A&M, I went through AFROTC and was disqualified from joining the Air Force because I have a life threatening tree nut allergy (and I was dumb enough to tell the doc).

Recently, I met this enlisted Navy guy who does something medical, and he told me that getting into the Navy would be no problem at all. He said if I didn't say anything about my allergy during the in-processing, then I would be able to get in. He also mentioned something about getting me to "talk to the right people," but hasn't been able to get ahold of said people.

I have a fine job, but would freaking love to be a pilot in the military and would jump at any chance to do that.

With my history, is there any chance of me joining another branch? Is lying about my allergy wise? The only thing that really scares me is the possibility of a dishonorable discharge. How likely is that?
I agree with the advice about not lying about your allergy.

That being said, all the services have different medical/physical requirements, and Air Force is significantly more stringent than Army.

I have a good friend who commissioned through A&M Army ROTC, did 20+ years in the Artillery, and retired as a LTC -- and he also has a tree nut allergy. Now, that was in the 90s, and the DODMERB waiver standard may be different.

My advice to you would be to go to both Navy and Army recruiters, advise them of your interest and issue, and ask whether they've successfully gotten folks waivers for the allergy. DODMERB will not advise in advance. They will disqualify you, then you submit a waiver request, and then rule on it.

It can't hurt to try.

Pro Sandy
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Presley OBannons Sword
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Rabid Cougar said:

Have had a hearing loss since I was 2 years old. In 1984 I couldn't pass a hearing test to receive a Marine Corps Scholarship. Even offered to sign a waiver. They were concerned I would lose the rest of my hearing and could claim full disability when I was already 50% there.

Met with PX Kelly when he came to commission the new officers at G. Rollie. He had reviewed my records. Good grades. Maxed out PT scores, the works. Told me that there were very few things a Commandant of the Marine Corps couldn't overcome but one of them was a Navy Doctor.

Unfortunately, sometimes no means no.



I have bad news about your story. The Commandant of the Marine Corps can absolutely override a Navy doc. He just wanted to let you down lightly.
Rabid Cougar
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Presley OBannons Sword said:

Rabid Cougar said:

Have had a hearing loss since I was 2 years old. In 1984 I couldn't pass a hearing test to receive a Marine Corps Scholarship. Even offered to sign a waiver. They were concerned I would lose the rest of my hearing and could claim full disability when I was already 50% there.

Met with PX Kelly when he came to commission the new officers at G. Rollie. He had reviewed my records. Good grades. Maxed out PT scores, the works. Told me that there were very few things a Commandant of the Marine Corps couldn't overcome but one of them was a Navy Doctor.

Unfortunately, sometimes no means no.



I have bad news about your story. The Commandant of the Marine Corps can absolutely override a Navy doc. He just wanted to let you down lightly.
Dammit! Now you tell me.... and he wrote me a nice letter too!

I doubt that he would have overridden the Doc. I took and failed the damn hearing test 10 times.. only confirmed what I had known for a long time.

Colonel Johnson (?) who was head of the NROTC Dept. at the time arranged the meeting. I think he had worked for Kelly at some point and must of thought it was worth a shot.

Obviously water long under the bridge.

StrangeLuv
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I guess it depends... I have known many who have "forgotten" to mention some things on their DODMERBs and have had long and successful careers. Childhood asthma, eczema, and being knocked out are common omissions.

Maybe your "life threatening" nut allergy is more serious.

Good luck
Trinity Ag
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I looked into this.

Tree nut allergies ARE waiverable, but it depends on the severity of the reaction to different levels of allergen.

You would need to apply, see a specialist for an allergy test, and then submit the results to DODMERB, requesting a waiver.

CharlieBrown17
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Trinity Ag said:

I looked into this.

Tree nut allergies ARE waiverable, but it depends on the severity of the reaction to different levels of allergen.

You would need to apply, see a specialist for an allergy test, and then submit the results to DODMERB, requesting a waiver.




Did similar for a documented shellfish allergy. Turns out I'm not allergic anymore.

Took 6-8 months for the waiver process and that's with the test coming back completely negative
Joe Schillaci 48
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I know it must be difficult to want to join the military but cannot because of an allergy.

I have two stories to relate and I will attempt to be brief.

In the in early 1960's my buddy and I were going to join the Coast Guard. It turned out that at that time the Coast Guard was under the Department of the Treasury and had stricter vision requirements than the other branches of the military.

I failed the vision test. The recruiter said no problem, He said he would leave the room and return in 30 minutes and perhaps my vision would increase. He also pointed out the line that needed to be read for admittance in the Coast Guard. I realized he wanted me to memorize the line and I would be shipped out to California for basic training. I thought about it but just could not do that. He came back into the room 30 minutes later....after knocking loudly and pausing before he entered. I attempted the test and again I failed.

I then went to the Air Force recruiter and passed all of the requirements and joined. I loved it. If I had cheated on the Coast Guard eye test, I would have cheated myself and perhaps could have put one of my fellow coasties in jeopardy.

Later in the Air Force I was assigned to my new base after basic training. One of my fellow new guys accidentally cut his hand while we were doing KP duty. It turned out that he was a hemophiliac and nearly bled to death before they got him to the hospital. He had been a hemophiliac all of his life but did not tell anyone.

He was given a General Discharge and was gone in about 6 weeks. They moved him out of the barracks and was not allowed to have any contact with the rest of us. I last saw him in the base hospital and he was heartbroken. But what if he had cut himself in the field? He would have died before he could receive medical assistance.

If you fail to tell someone about a medical situation you not only put yourself at risk but you also put others in risky situations.

PS I think the Coast Guard today has the same physical requirements as the other branches of service.
Pirate04
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Army flight school lies in the heart of peanut country in lower Alabama, so I would advise against it. Good luck with the Navy though!
Zulu451
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As an Army Doc... Navy can have you. Especially if you think its okay to lie to get into the military. Your life and the lives of your brethren depend on you. If you have an anaphylactic reaction and you kill yourself, dumb on you. You will get no benefits, "line of duty NO" when it comes out that you lied about your condition. But if you take your buddies out of the fight, that is just a ****** move.
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