Do YOU want to Enlist but b/c of WLS you can't?
Hi all. I asked a question yesterday about joing the Army and got an array of responses. All of which were GREAT! I DID talk to a recruiter for the Army National Guard Friday Morning and was finally given the news this afternoon about noon. At first I was upset
, then I was MAD
and now I am LIVID!!
!! I know at least 3 of the posters on my previous thread expressed an interest in enlisting in whatever branch. Me the Army because of age. And I researched the Army Medical Standards which were last updated FEB of 2005 and it was thrown in as an afterthought!
I know there are many who believe that I am on some kind of "special" diet and that this would in some way hinder me. BUT I AM NOT! I am 3 yrs post op, at my goal weight and aside from issues with gall bladder in the 1st 30 days out I have had no major issues. One poster on previous thread stated that if you are in and have it its ok, because you are already trained and have all of that under your belt and the military does not want to spend money to train us "IN CASE". Well I am not BUYING that BS. EVERY individual that joins is a risk. EVERY ONE!!! Whether a flight risk, a injury or some one looses it, there are always risks. Every employer including the military goes through this. Spending time and money to train individuals who may or may not make the cut. I am pissed that some entity that has not a clue of what I can do is not at least willing to talk to me and hear what I have to say. Especially when the recruit #'s are so low. When every person willing and able should be given the oppurtunity to serve thier Country!
I am willing to walk away from my job, my husband, my comfortable life and DEFEND this GREAT NATION and I am really ticked that I, because I made a decision to take control of my weight and my life 3 yrs ago, albiet considered drastic, now I can't do WHAT I wanted to do 21 yrs ago but was too Overweight to do! Would they have let me join at 330lbs, well HELL NO! But now I have a smaller damn stomach and I can't. My basic comment is this!
IF YOU COULD GET A WAIVER WOULD YOU JOIN! RIGHT NOW!!??
I ask because, BY GOD I am not taking this laying DOWN! I want to fight beside my Country MEN and WOMEN for my COUNTRY and I am willing to put a little Bee in the Big Militaries Bonnet to do SO! Would you do it too?
On my previous thread a responder stated the increase in militaries medical waivers would cover say an old Knee Surgery! HMMMM! Interestingly enough, my "little" Stomach would not suddenly give out on me if running in BCT or AIT or in the Sand, or mountains or out the door for Gods sake. I am pissed that they can take THAT RISK but not one on ME!
I have this special diet,that is very damn laughable, let's see............................. I ate scrambled eggs and toast this morning with coffee, then for lunch I had Chinese, a little of several items! and for dinner taco salad. Damn I am alot more different then all the non WLS's out there huh! Oh yeah, I had some Ritz crackers, 5 to be exact for a mid afternoon snack. DAMN ME for being so different! Oops I forgot I had Unsweet tea all day too!
If you are interested in stirring up enough of a voice to maybe get the Disqualifier changed, or given a case by case review, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE contact me. I have several friends already on it! I am gonna get a MEPS Dr to review my case and I am gonna get someone to sit up and take notice that just BECAUSE I don't eat as much as they do, that I can STILL FIGHT FOR MY COUNTRY!!!!
I am not a QUITER, never have BEEN and I am not about to START NOW!
If you are serious and want to make the BEE bigger and stronger PLEASE contact me. First I am teased and discriminated on because I was Obese and NOW because I did something about IT I am being discrimated against. Military does not want to spend money to train me in case, well last damn time I checked EVERY working individual was footing the bill and I want my small portion put to work for ME!
I appreciate all responses but please contact me personally if you feel the same. One person can't change much but 2+ can damn sure get them to take notice!
Thanks for listening, reading and supporting!
Angie
ps. I posted this exact post on the main message board but I know not everyone visits there. I am in Meridian. MS
, then I was MAD and now I am LIVID!!!! I know at least 3 of the posters on my previous thread expressed an interest in enlisting in whatever branch. Me the Army because of age. And I researched the Army Medical Standards which were last updated FEB of 2005 and it was thrown in as an afterthought!
I know there are many who believe that I am on some kind of "special" diet and that this would in some way hinder me. BUT I AM NOT! I am 3 yrs post op, at my goal weight and aside from issues with gall bladder in the 1st 30 days out I have had no major issues. One poster on previous thread stated that if you are in and have it its ok, because you are already trained and have all of that under your belt and the military does not want to spend money to train us "IN CASE". Well I am not BUYING that BS. EVERY individual that joins is a risk. EVERY ONE!!! Whether a flight risk, a injury or some one looses it, there are always risks. Every employer including the military goes through this. Spending time and money to train individuals who may or may not make the cut. I am pissed that some entity that has not a clue of what I can do is not at least willing to talk to me and hear what I have to say. Especially when the recruit #'s are so low. When every person willing and able should be given the oppurtunity to serve thier Country!
I am willing to walk away from my job, my husband, my comfortable life and DEFEND this GREAT NATION and I am really ticked that I, because I made a decision to take control of my weight and my life 3 yrs ago, albiet considered drastic, now I can't do WHAT I wanted to do 21 yrs ago but was too Overweight to do! Would they have let me join at 330lbs, well HELL NO! But now I have a smaller damn stomach and I can't. My basic comment is this!
IF YOU COULD GET A WAIVER WOULD YOU JOIN! RIGHT NOW!!??
I ask because, BY GOD I am not taking this laying DOWN! I want to fight beside my Country MEN and WOMEN for my COUNTRY and I am willing to put a little Bee in the Big Militaries Bonnet to do SO! Would you do it too?
On my previous thread a responder stated the increase in militaries medical waivers would cover say an old Knee Surgery! HMMMM! Interestingly enough, my "little" Stomach would not suddenly give out on me if running in BCT or AIT or in the Sand, or mountains or out the door for Gods sake. I am pissed that they can take THAT RISK but not one on ME!
I have this special diet,that is very damn laughable, let's see............................. I ate scrambled eggs and toast this morning with coffee, then for lunch I had Chinese, a little of several items! and for dinner taco salad. Damn I am alot more different then all the non WLS's out there huh! Oh yeah, I had some Ritz crackers, 5 to be exact for a mid afternoon snack. DAMN ME for being so different! Oops I forgot I had Unsweet tea all day too!
If you are interested in stirring up enough of a voice to maybe get the Disqualifier changed, or given a case by case review, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE contact me. I have several friends already on it! I am gonna get a MEPS Dr to review my case and I am gonna get someone to sit up and take notice that just BECAUSE I don't eat as much as they do, that I can STILL FIGHT FOR MY COUNTRY!!!!
I am not a QUITER, never have BEEN and I am not about to START NOW!
If you are serious and want to make the BEE bigger and stronger PLEASE contact me. First I am teased and discriminated on because I was Obese and NOW because I did something about IT I am being discrimated against. Military does not want to spend money to train me in case, well last damn time I checked EVERY working individual was footing the bill and I want my small portion put to work for ME!
I appreciate all responses but please contact me personally if you feel the same. One person can't change much but 2+ can damn sure get them to take notice!
Thanks for listening, reading and supporting!
Angie
ps. I posted this exact post on the main message board but I know not everyone visits there. I am in Meridian. MS 
I don't know how you made out in this plight since it seems like no one responded to your post. I don't know if you realized that there is The Military Standards of Medical Fitness document of which lists items that need waivers (harder to get) and those that need a medical evaluation board review (easier to get). I also know that they state that WLS is not waiverable. However, I found a large discrepancy in the document. It states on page 5 that you would require a waiver for :
"i. Other. History of any gastrointestinal procedure for the control of obesity does not meet the standard. Artificial openings, including, but not limited to ostomy (V44), do not meet the standard."
However, they also state on page 22 that you only need an MEB (medical evaluation board) for
"e. Gastrectomy, subtotal, with or without vagotomy, or gastrojejunostomy, with or without vagotomy, when, in spite of good medical management, the individual develops “dumping syndrome" which persists for 6 months postoperatively; or develops frequent episodes of epigastric distress with characteristic circulatory symptoms or diarrhea persisting 6 months postoperatively; or continues to demonstrate appreciable weight loss 6 months postoperatively."
The procedure that they describe in this second item that only requires a review is essentially the same procedure that is performed in WLS, but not for weight loss. Hence, the military is discriminating against a surgery because it is for those who are obese. And that is inexcusable. It would be the same as saying that someone with high blood pressure could not get in because they are on medicine that now normalizes it. This is a blatant demonstration of discrimination against the obese who seek to cure their disease through surgery and the diet and exercise that follows. I am disgusted by this. The following website will direct you to the medical standards of fitness that are listed online so you can see that this is true! The military discriminated against gays, and now too the obese!The full document can found at: www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/r40_501.pdf
So hopefully more people will respond and push this issue. Has anyone gotten anythwere with this?
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