medical requirements

[Anonymous]

My name is Zoe and I am 17. I have been an army cadet for 5 years. My first year was in England where I did training with semi-automatic 5.56 SA80s. Then I joined in Ontario, Canada in sept 98. I have been in four years in Canada. In England I was trained like the Canadian reserves. I would love to join the military. However they tell me I can't because I am epileptic. For anyone who doesn't know what that is, it is a seizure disorder in the brain which causes reoccuring seizures. I have been controlled on meds for 6 years. However, even now they will not let me join. It confuses me because they allow people in with allergies to bee stings, asthma, diabetes. People with a hell of a lot more restrictions than me. They won't let me in because I have to take three little pills a day. I also cannot go to the military university that I want to go to. Anybody have any idea why they are so anal? They are always saying in the Canadian military that they need more people, especially women. But they will not let me (and I have VERY few limitations) in. Anyone in the same positions, or similar?

sexy_gurl@armycadet.com

[Anonymous]

Can't answer for the Canadian Army, but not only is epilepsy a disqualifer for service in the US military, but so is asthma and diabetes. In each of these cases, you may be taking medication to "control", but it does not mean cure. The very real possibility exists that at any time something can trigger a seizure. That siezure can cost lives if it happens at the wrong place at the wrong time. Same possibilitites exist with those who live with controlled asthma and diabetes. There are possibilities in the US Army to get waivers granted for such conditions based on the severity of the disease and how well controlled the disease is, but this waivers are rarely granted unless you have very mild cases of each of these diseases.

Bee stings are a little different. Again, it depends on the extent and how serverly allergic you are whether you are granted admission to the military or not. We also disqualify people who are ADD or ADHD.

It's not about what you can do everyday, it's about what can happen when and if you have a seizure. Many seizures can be triggered by light or sound and that's what a battlefield is all about. Having a seizure in the middle of a battle would be a liability to all those around you.

webasst1@militarywoman.org

[Anonymous]

My brother always wanted to be a truck driver, then while in truck driving school, he had his first seizure. I know what it can do to your dreams. An epileptic can't get a CDL, or a job as a truckdriver, even though the only seizures he has ever had are when he attempted to stop or reduce his medication because it costs too much. It really is rotten.

I wanted to ask you what you most like in the military? There are lots of civilians who also work with military, so maybe you might want to consider looking into those types of careers also. If you are really interested in something, look at what is needed to become a civilian expert in that. In the US, there is the Dept of Defense, that has civilian jobs. With engineers, we have civilians sometimes doing things like design, and they are totally in charge and I sometimes get jealous of how they get to go home at night while we sleep in the tents and get cold. They also get paid lots more. I know this idea is no substitute for being in the military, but I just thought you might find something helpful in my suggestion.

-jodie


:
: My name is Zoe and I am 17. I have been an army cadet for 5 years. My first
: year was in England where I did training with semi-automatic 5.56 SA80s.
: Then I joined in Ontario, Canada in sept 98. I have been in four years in
: Canada. In England I was trained like the Canadian reserves. I would love
: to join the military. However they tell me I can't because I am epileptic.
: For anyone who doesn't know what that is, it is a seizure disorder in the
: brain which causes reoccuring seizures. I have been controlled on meds for
: 6 years. However, even now they will not let me join. It confuses me
: because they allow people in with allergies to bee stings, asthma,
: diabetes. People with a hell of a lot more restrictions than me. They
: won't let me in because I have to take three little pills a day. I also
: cannot go to the military university that I want to go to. Anybody have
: any idea why they are so anal? They are always saying in the Canadian
: military that they need more people, especially women. But they will not
: let me (and I have VERY few limitations) in. Anyone in the same positions,
: or similar? xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx