Should people with relatively minor health conditions be allowed in the military?

[Deleted]

Yeah, some branches aren't as picky, I would check it out again.

Some branches will use petty medical excuses as a reason to fail you if they have no open slots, I know a guy that failed to get into the Royal Navy as an Engineer for having flat feet, he then joined the Army as an Infantry Officer, work that one out.

[Deleted]

Some branches will use petty medical excuses as a reason to fail you if they have no open slots, I know a guy that failed to get into the Royal Navy as an Engineer for having flat feet, he then joined the Army as an Infantry Officer, work that one out.

Don't people with flat feet have less risks of foot injury or something ?

[felcommander]

Simply can't have any disease process that requires any kind of management in a combat scenario, or in any location with restricted supplies.

Even things such as air craft carriers are limited by the supplies they can bring (primarily food), adding things even such as glucaphage for diabetes would reduce the amount of food and other supplies carried. Multiply this by a lot for every person with a simple blood pressure/hyperlipidemia ect and it because a rather large quantity.

[Deleted]

Don't people with flat feet have less risks of foot injury or something ?

The results of the few studies done say that it really does not matter, modern footwear eliminates most problems with feet. Despite this some still claim that flat fleet makes marching much more difficult, bullshit in my opinion.

[TheGravemind]

And when they are forced to go for 2 days without food?

Not all soldiers are Combat Arms MOSs, you should know that being (former?) military yourself. Someone with non-severe diabetes could easily be a POG.

[Deleted]

Not all soldiers are Combat Arms MOSs, you should know that being (former?) military yourself. Someone with non-severe diabetes could easily be a POG.

Even non combat arms do exercises and training.

[TheGravemind]

Even non combat arms do exercises and training.

Maybe it's different in the U.K., but something like an avionics mechanic in the U.S. will never do something deemed too strenuous for someone with diabetes to complete.

[Deleted]

Maybe it's different in the U.K., but something like an avionics mechanic in the U.S. will never do something deemed too strenuous for someone with diabetes to complete.

You do not have training Cadres in the US Military such as NCO's courses?

[Duronos]

Maybe it's different in the U.K., but something like an avionics mechanic in the U.S. will never do something deemed too strenuous for someone with diabetes to complete.

They still have to go through Basic Training.

[Tastyfish]

What is minor?
I have this fear, due to the general lack of education that, minor, for some would be a whole host of psych issues, if that is the case then no.. If we are talking about skin problems, and remission lvl cancer or w/e, well not everyone has to be a combatant, and im sure if there is a will there is a way.

[TheGravemind]

They still have to go through Basic Training.

Basic training is a joke and there's nothing in it that would be overly difficult for someone with diabetes to do.

[sugarlily]

Diabetes is life threatening, it is NOT minor.

Depends on which stage it is.

I do not know any form of diabetes that be controlled on a diet of nothing but rat packs.

Agreed, along with a number of other health issues that must be monitored & usually medicated daily, sometimes even hourly. Not something to be caught with 'out of bounds'. Wouldn't want to take a chance that any POWs get medical treatment while detained. One certainly wouldn't even have to be captured to suffer the possibilities of those separated/forced to wait out many hrs even days that could throw a "minor health condition" into something very serious. So many bad circumstances would literally turn deadly for lack of medical treatment/meds/monitoring etc. etc.

There are plenty of medical issues that could leave the person who is serving their country in deep dark shit with even a relatively 'small' issue that wouldn't be life threatening otherwise, like late or sidetracked delivery, but if there are important meds lost in transit/late/misplaced ...just way too many ways for it to go very bad, even deadly.

It is a beautiful thing for anyone that wants to serve their country & I /salute them & Thank them with all my heart but I'd have to say even "relatively minor health conditions" can become huge problems with just one relatively small snag. The ramifications range everywhere from compounding/exacerbated health issues, added security for all meds & the transport thereof, unnecessary suffering or even death due to delay or any of the other above issues or incidents & then of course the litigious outcomes of any snafus.

Nope, too much trouble IMHO.

EDIT~ I voted Case-by-case basis.

[TheGravemind]

You do not have training Cadres in the US Military such as NCO's courses?

By NCO, do you mean non-commissioned officer courses or non-combat occupancy courses? If the former, yes we do, if the latter, then we do not have those that train them in combat to the caliber of an infantry MOS.

A 15Y will never be forced to do anything beyond the bare minimum, and the bare minimum in terms of PT tests is quite low, easily achievable for someone with diabetes inspidus or diabetes dellitus/mellitus.

[Deleted]

By NCO, do you mean non-commissioned officer courses or non-combat occupancy courses? If the former, yes we do, if the latter, then we do not have those that train them in combat to the caliber of an infantry MOS.

A 15Y will never be forced to do anything beyond the bare minimum, and the bare minimum in terms of PT tests is quite low, easily achievable for someone with diabetes inspidus or diabetes dellitus/mellitus.

Do you think it is acceptable for people to pass by the bare minimum?

[TheGravemind]

Do you think it is acceptable for people to pass by the bare minimum?

What I think or don't think is irrelevant, the U.S. military seems to think that the bare minimum is enough for non-combat arms MOSs.

I'm personally in the last year of ROTC in medical school at CU right now (I can decide whether I want to continue in the military and pursue a DC or not), and the PT tests are pathetically easy. This may be because I'm an avid runner, but I think most people who aren't avid runners would still agree that the PT testing is very relaxed unless you're in an infantry MOS.

Now, I think it's fine if someone with diabetes is allowed into non-infantry MOSs and allowed to retain his/her occupancy by achieving the bare minimum. Plenty of people without diabetes do that, so, why should someone with diabetes be penalized for no evident reason beyond the arbitrary one of possessing the ailment of diabetes?

[purebalance]

You have no idea how extensive Military medical examinations are, my initial medical tests took 3 days, they poke and probe every orifice. Someone with a serious heart condition cannot get away with lying about it.

Mine took about an hour max and that was as a mass group. Different countries are different. You could get in easily when I had with all manner of conditions. If you're talking about the US then you're lying.

- - - Updated - - -

Basic training is a joke and there's nothing in it that would be overly difficult for someone with diabetes to do.

And they feed you pretty regularly in basic training AND in any of the schooling for anything except like ranger etc.

[Zogarth]

Some branches will use petty medical excuses as a reason to fail you if they have no open slots, I know a guy that failed to get into the Royal Navy as an Engineer for having flat feet, he then joined the Army as an Infantry Officer, work that one out.

I have flat feet, and that is the reason that i could not get into the military. Flat feet, can be both minor and major. In my case, i can't walk more than 200 meters before my feet feel like they are on fire. I have to wear huge addons that i put into my shoes to not break my own feet just by walking on them normally. Oh, and on top of that, i am not allowed to run seriously (I can do short sprints, or run for small periods, but i will never be able to even run 5 km). And no, this was not said at the military, but by a podiatric physician.

[purebalance]

Simply can't have any disease process that requires any kind of management in a combat scenario, or in any location with restricted supplies.

Even things such as air craft carriers are limited by the supplies they can bring (primarily food), adding things even such as glucaphage for diabetes would reduce the amount of food and other supplies carried. Multiply this by a lot for every person with a simple blood pressure/hyperlipidemia ect and it because a rather large quantity.

We have people in who have non deployable medical profiles that basically they will never deploy because of something that they may have acquired in their home life but it happened while they were in the military. If those people can stay in because they developed diabetes why can't people come in with it?

And yes you can stay in the military practically if not your full career if you have things like diabetes and HIV as long as you developed it while in the military. So half of these points are null and void if you can stay in why not allow them in.

[Tierbook]

why do people seem to think Rich is American?

[Deleted]

why do people seem to think Rich is American?

One would think they would see my location.