Posted on Feb 19, 2019
Can I join the Army if I’m 19 and had asthma from the age of 12 till 15?
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I’m 19 and was diagnosed with mild asthma at 12 and at 15 I just quit taking the medication and forgot about and have never had a attack no signs and I took a PFT and my lung function was above average . I thought about not even bringing it up because many people said that asthma is a PDQ and they would only know I had if I told them . My question is can I join the army if my asthma no longer affects me and I have above average lung function on PFT ?
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Potential Recruit
Medical
Posted 6 y ago
Responses: 6
If you want to join the military, you will make statements and have to fill out forms. Honesty is the only approach to take no matter what anyone else tells you. Withholding information will come back to bite you down the road. In addition, one of the core values of the Army is having Integrity.
https://www.army.mil/values/
https://www.army.mil/values/
The seven Army Values are the foundation of the Army Profession.
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Since you've brought it out in the open, you will now need a waiver. I always told my prospective recruits before I even started the process that if they were really serious about joining to come to the table with the idea in mind that they had a clean bill of mental and physical health....that is all.
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1SG (Join to see)
Your statements: "Now that it's out in the open," and if your serious about joining to come to the table with the idea that they had a clean bill of health, easily leads a reasonable person to infer that you encourage prospective recruits to withhold mental health and physical medical consitions.
If that's not what you meant, please clarify.
Otherwise, this goes against the Army values. This results in Soldiers being chaptered, wastes DS training time to deal with people who shouldn't have enlisted in the first place, and wastes thousands of dollars and other resources for each such Soldier.
The Army values are more than some words you learn so you can pass a promotion or SOM/Q/Y board.
If that's not what you meant, please clarify.
Otherwise, this goes against the Army values. This results in Soldiers being chaptered, wastes DS training time to deal with people who shouldn't have enlisted in the first place, and wastes thousands of dollars and other resources for each such Soldier.
The Army values are more than some words you learn so you can pass a promotion or SOM/Q/Y board.
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1SG (Join to see)
Because it's my option, and I don't like being cyber stalked, which is entirely unrelated to you and your post.
If you weren't implying that a recruit not fully disclose all medical history, which is why I asked that you clarify, disregard, you have nothing to be offended about.
I've been on the receiving end, as a DS, SL, PSG, and 1SG, of Soldiers who failed to "fully disclose all medical history," as required. Leaders end up spending more time dealing with these Soldiers, than leading their other Soldiers and attending to the mission. First, there is the additional counseling, corrective training, and missed training that comes before separation begins. Then, once the separation process begins, every appointment they have to go on requires an NCO to escort them (my period of service). Of course, this doesn't include the wasted cost of training, travel, uniforms and equipment. It also doesn't consider the negative impact on the Soldier's self image, perceptions of friends back home who knew you enlisted for 3 years but are back home under two years, loss of benefits, and potential negative character of service.
If you were implying that a potential recruit not fully disclose all medical history, our statement stands on their own.
If you weren't implying that a recruit not fully disclose all medical history, which is why I asked that you clarify, disregard, you have nothing to be offended about.
I've been on the receiving end, as a DS, SL, PSG, and 1SG, of Soldiers who failed to "fully disclose all medical history," as required. Leaders end up spending more time dealing with these Soldiers, than leading their other Soldiers and attending to the mission. First, there is the additional counseling, corrective training, and missed training that comes before separation begins. Then, once the separation process begins, every appointment they have to go on requires an NCO to escort them (my period of service). Of course, this doesn't include the wasted cost of training, travel, uniforms and equipment. It also doesn't consider the negative impact on the Soldier's self image, perceptions of friends back home who knew you enlisted for 3 years but are back home under two years, loss of benefits, and potential negative character of service.
If you were implying that a potential recruit not fully disclose all medical history, our statement stands on their own.
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SPC Richelle Rice-Simms
Well, seems you are afraid or something to hide from...not me, I speak how I feel and think...you don't like...don't read my shit! I never said anyone with a true DX of asthma should try to get in... absolutely not! I've seen too many people than don't really have a dx'd condition & it's just a show of poor me! The DX of ADHD/ADD has been entirely too freely handed out, so they shouldn't get in because a parent was looking for an excuse?! I believe if there is a will, there is a way!
So, I'm guessing if the 2nd Amendment is overturned, you will freely give your weapons up without a fight?
So, I'm guessing if the 2nd Amendment is overturned, you will freely give your weapons up without a fight?
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Well, it seems like you will meet the requirements of needing a waiver due to having it past age 13. Also you need to show were a Doctor cleared you, simply not taking the medication any more means nothing.
You could decide not to tell them and see how it works out. Honestly, they really wouldn't know unless you told them. But with that I challenge you this, do you really want to start your Army career off by not living the Army values?
Another thing to consider, if you do end up having an issue while serving and it is determined that you withheld this information, you could be charged with fraudulent enlightenment...
My opinion is to disclose it, get a waiver and get your career started right.
Best of luck
You could decide not to tell them and see how it works out. Honestly, they really wouldn't know unless you told them. But with that I challenge you this, do you really want to start your Army career off by not living the Army values?
Another thing to consider, if you do end up having an issue while serving and it is determined that you withheld this information, you could be charged with fraudulent enlightenment...
My opinion is to disclose it, get a waiver and get your career started right.
Best of luck
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LTC (Join to see)
I see these comment regularly about integrity and honesty. I know times/circumstances were different but my FIL lied about his age and joined the Army when he was 15 in 1937. He went on to receive a battlefield commission and became a navigator in the army air corps and later USAF. he flew multiple combat missions in WWII and Korea. He was a Major when the Air Force somehow discovered he'd lied about his age. Their solution? They issued him a new birth certificate stating that he was actually born in 1920 instead of 1922. So I'm on the fence about this one.
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