Correctable conditions/airborne school

D

deerslayer

Milforum Swamp Dweller
For the past four years I'd been considering joining and enrolling at the USMA, but I was born with two conditions that may keep me out of the service

1. Vasovagal syncopy- from what I hear, this SHOULD phase itself out after puberty. A certain stimuli (we think in me it's a low caloric intake) causes me to pass out. Fortunately for me, I know when this is coming and in the civilian world can take the necessary precautions to avoid hurting myself when and if I go down.

2. Epstein's anomaly- this is leakage from one of the heart valves. The docs have told me most children born with this don't live more than three months. I was a very mild case. I can perform just about any strenuous physical activity under the sun and am in very good overall physical condition. This is a surgery-correctable problem, and I've been told there's a 25% chance I'll need it in later life.

What can you tell me about trying to enlist with these problems (#1, I believe, isn't that big of a deal)? Would my cardiac condition permit me to go to Airborne School?
 
Well, I won't sugar coat it. So here goes (this sucks).

Chances are very slim that you'll be allowed to serve in the US military at all. When the MEPS doctor sees either of these conditions listed on your medical he's going to give you an automatic no-go. You can and should talk to a recruiter when you're 17 anyway, though.

Sorry guy, but you know there are a lot of other things you can do in government as well as civil service.
 
I'd pretty much assured myself of that at age 15 when I found out I had these conditions. Figured I'd get some second hand knowledge into the subject. So, it wasn't wholly unexpected.
And back in the last three years, when I was less experienced in the political aspect of the military, I figured West Point and the military would be the perfect place for an idealistic and physically capable young man. Good thing I had vet school in mind as a fallback plan.

Looks like I'll have to take my idealism and put it to other uses, preferably in support of our troops.
 
Last edited:
Sorry to hear about your problems man.

Why not get those fixed up and just jump into the military?
 
and take a surgery that I don't need at the moment? Sorry, if that 25% chance becomes a reality, then I'll take it. I actually have pretty good cardiovascular endurance- don't mind running at all, or any other physical activity. I've never noticed these problems and the docs almost missed them on the 3 EKGs that they ran on me after I passed out the third time. That was when they were trying to find out if II had the syncopy. They stumbled across the heart valve by pure luck.

Only real problem that I ever noticed was uncontrollable eye movement- the room spinning, in other words. But hell, I could make my way up a flight or two of stairs in that condition- done it once or twice. Then I started having that situation at an airport in New Orleans, and I go down hard- on a marble floor. Paramed thinks I have hypoglycemia because the blood sugar is super low. I go about my merry way and get first class tickets to Idaho.

Then a few years later, I pass out at school again, and then in church (singing "Standing on the Promises", of all things). That's when I was brought in for 3 EKGs, a stress test (passed- no problem) and a week with a Holter monitor. Turns out I have all these minor conditions.

After explaining my minor medical history with this, I have one more question- if I informed whatever necessary authorities of this before age 18, do I still have to sign up with the Selective Service?
 
You still have to sign up. You'll be 4F so you'll never see a draft, though. I have had a couple of ACL replacements and currently have a few screws in my knee so I'm in the same boat. I signed up, but I know I'll never be called.

I feel your pain, though. I planned to join the military from my youngest memories. Life happens.
 
Thanks for the info on the Selective service. Dang heart valve hacks me off to no end. And it's something so minor as to avoid detection for years. If I hadn't passed out at church, I would have applied to the USMA with the quickness.
 
like pj said, you can always get a job as a govt contractor and work with the military. thats what my father did.
 
That's an option. A few years back as a bored 8th grade teenager with a mild interest in artillery, I had attempted to create a design for a mortar rocket that adjusted its angle via displacement of liquid fuel. Problem was, on the battlefield you don't have time to do some trig and calculate the amount of fuel that has to be displaced :)
 
I would very much if the military would touch you. They would be more worried about some thing happening to you. You say you need to eat at times, well at times this can be problem when you are in the field.
 
deerslayer said:
That's an option. A few years back as a bored 8th grade teenager with a mild interest in artillery, I had attempted to create a design for a mortar rocket that adjusted its angle via displacement of liquid fuel. Problem was, on the battlefield you don't have time to do some trig and calculate the amount of fuel that has to be displaced :)
Click to expand...

That's what microprocessors are for. I've never regretted going into the Defense Industry after my tour. I've traveled more and hobnobbed with the brass more as an engineer than I ever would have as a soldier. And you don't have to salute.
 
If you only understood how little I want to go speaking to any brass... except on the subject of doctrine and tactics. Keep it strictly to business, folks.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top