Basic Training and Meds

[ksjane]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? KS

Not sure if this is the right place to post this, I am quite confident that someone will point that out if not. I am inquiring about whether or not the Army can withhold prescribed medication from you, during basic training? FYI, I know nothing about the Military, nothing. Heres the deal, a friends child just signed up in the Army, fresh out of high school, the child is bi-polar and on meds for that. However, the child was not allowed to take those meds (supposedly) and wound up in the psych unit, or medical unit or whatever, nonetheless, is being medically discharged because of the fact. How can this be? Is my friend not getting the right info from her child? Are they able to keep meds from you in basic training? TIAWhat is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?

[justalayman]

this isn't an answer to your question but more something to put the action in perspective.

what would happen if this guy was out in the field for an extended period of time and ran out of his meds?

what if he was captured by the enemy who took his meds and did nit dispense them to him.

what would happen... well, I am sure you get the idea. Regardless if it is allowed or not, it tests him in what very well could be a real world situation. If he cannot handle things without his meds, he really should not be in the military.


curious question;

did he inform the Army docs about his condition before he went in? (and no, informing the recruiter does not count).

[ksjane]

You bring up some very valid points. Quite honestly I didn't really think of it from that perspective. I thank you for your input. I am not sure about the Army docs, I was told that they did a pretty intense 'evaluation' before enlistment, but do not know of specifics. I am curious as to why they would even allow someone of this capacity to even enlist, if that is the case. Again, thanks for the input.

[fozzy2]

Basically the military has control over a servicemember's health care.

The situation you describe sounds very unusual. It is almost unheard of (I try to never say never) for the military to enlist someone who relies on medication of any sort. If there wasn't a mistake in this person's enlistment, it is possible the Army thought that she didn't need the medication and found out otherwise when she was in boot camp. It seems more likely, however, that the military was not properly informed as to her diagnosis and/or reliance on medication (whether by oversight or by intention).

[PJ Weber]

Heres the deal, a friends child just signed up in the Army, fresh out of high school, the child is bi-polar and on meds for that.

Bi-Polar is a permanent disqualification with no waivers

This person shouldn't have even passed MEPS . . . unless they hid the truth

Is my friend not getting the right info from her child?

My thoughts exactly

[navdoc]

The military does not take children. So the child in question is an adult.
Did the 'child' lie about his bi-polar diagnosis at MEPS? I can't see how he even made it past them. So the first thing that comes to mind is fraudulent enlistment.

[justalayman]

I know you guys in the military know this happens all too often whether it be intentional or not.

I have known kids with asthma, clinical depression, and I think even one that was bi (either that or he was gay and I guess you aren't supposed to ask about that, that have been accepted in the military. All were on meds.

part of the problem is the recruiters do "suggest" what it takes to get in. While they obviously will deny any such actions, I know it does happen. It sets some of the kids up to be liable for fraudulent enlistments should they wash out from the Dx they are hiding.

Not sure who is to blame. The kids are often innocent in their heart and often even their minds. Sometimes they just do not understand the whole process. Since the recruiters are the "good guys" to the recruit, the kids often listen, or interpret, what the recruiter told them in a manner that best benefits the recruit. The recruiters are just like any other performance rated job and are susceptible to bending the rules to meet quotas of goals. Often not truly intentional but sometimes knowingly advising a possible recruit how to get in.

I was told that they did a pretty intense 'evaluation' before enlistment, but do not know of specifics.

this I know is not true. They ask you the same question 14 different ways just so you cannot claim "but you didn;t ask about that". You are asked, point blank, if you are under any medical treatment, period. They ask your history and expect a very thorough answer.

there is nothing they do not know unless a recruit lies to the doctors. They do not check, unless there is reason to do so but in general, it would just be logistically impossible to check the complete background of every recruit.

[ksjane]

So, they should have asked (checked) whether or not he was on medication, and they should have asked whether or not he was bi-polar? And if he answered honestly, (which is yes he is on meds and yes he is bi-polar) they would not have let him enlist? Or would it depend? I am just curious, because he has never hid it before, and has always been open about it, and I noticed a previous poster said it was 'permanent disqualification'. TIA

[justalayman]

ksjane;1975393]So, they should have asked (checked) whether or not he was on medication,

I can assure you they did ask. That is one of the many many questions asked of each recruit.

and they should have asked whether or not he was bi-polar?

Possibly not specifically but they do as questions such as:

have you been treated by a doctor in the past year?

have you been diagnosed with any illness or injury that may inhibit your ability to perform your duties?

These are two of the many questions I was specifically asked when I filled out my forms with the recruiter and they were repeated when I was undergoing my physical.

And if he answered honestly, (which is yes he is on meds and yes he is bi-polar) they would not have let him enlist? Or would it depend? I am just curious, because he has never hid it before, and has always been open about it, and I noticed a previous poster said it was 'permanent disqualification'.

I'll rely on P J Webers opinion on this. From what I understand, his position is correct.

[cyberspook]

They also pull copies of said named recruits medical records from there doctors. If the SNR recruit disclosed there doctors.

I don't mean to sound disrespectful, but I find it very difficult to believe the military would have accepted the SNR knowing they were bi-polar and on medication of that nature.

Justalayman is correct in his assesment that more often than sometimes people do "hold back" information, and more often than sometimes it is because a over zealous recruiter encouraged them to do so.

I would also like to point out that the majority of recruiters do a good job. They have to sell the military, but the good ones make sure they are not selling the military to someone that is going to wash out. Most recruiters do understand and obey a moral obligation. There is a fine line and as said before, more often than sometimes it gets crossed.

[Sl4ck3r]

I believe this very well could be a true case. I do know from being in the Air Force that recruiters DO pre-screen their recruits for medical conditions (especially asthma) and they will tell recruits how to work around it or not mention it at all and when they get to basic they often find out about these conditions and recruits end up in the medical ward for very very extended periods of time untill they are finally discharged. The recruiters don't mention the risks of being STUCK at basic for 3-4 times the normal time it takes to graduate IF they find out about your medical condition. Its hard to point a finger for sure but 9 times out of 10 it starts with the recruiter. Think of a recruiter being a salesman, when they don't care about the product they sell or what they have to do to sell it as long as they get that tally point in the sale column.

[mlane58]

Originally Posted by Sl4ck3r

I believe this very well could be a true case. I do know from being in the Air Force that recruiters DO pre-screen their recruits for medical conditions (especially asthma) and they will tell recruits how to work around it or not mention it at all and when they get to basic they often find out about these conditions and recruits end up in the medical ward for very very extended periods of time untill they are finally discharged. The recruiters don't mention the risks of being STUCK at basic for 3-4 times the normal time it takes to graduate IF they find out about your medical condition. Its hard to point a finger for sure but 9 times out of 10 it starts with the recruiter. Think of a recruiter being a salesman, when they don't care about the product they sell or what they have to do to sell it as long as they get that tally point in the sale column.

Oh! were you an Air Force recruiter? I strongly doubt it, so yours is just an opinion based on nothing. Having been in Air Force Recruiting Service for 15 years, your statements are totally crap. As stated from others, there are a very small number of recruiters that tell potential recruits to lie or hide medical issues and they eventually caught doing this as well.

[Sl4ck3r]

no I'm not a recruiter but I saw it happen first hand. You are full of **** if you say this doesn't happen. I didn't say EVERY recruiter does that. Why don't you read the post before you start ranting.

[mlane58]

Originally Posted by Sl4ck3r

no I'm not a recruiter but I saw it happen first hand. You are full of **** if you say this doesn't happen. I didn't say EVERY recruiter does that. Why don't you read the post before you start ranting.

Look again, I never said it didn't happen and in your previous post you said:

I do know from being in the Air Force that recruiters DO pre-screen their recruits for medical conditions (especially asthma) and they will tell recruits how to work around it or not mention it at all and when they get to basic they often find out about these conditions and recruits end up in the medical ward for very very extended periods of time untill they are finally discharged.

I did read the post----Now where does it say some, a few or not all of them. You made a generalization about all AF recruiters.

[Sl4ck3r]

read it a 3rd time.
"Its hard to point a finger for sure but 9 times out of 10 it starts with the recruiter"


thank you thank you thank you.
I don't care if you are a recruiter or not but the fact that whenI went to basic and 3 out of every 10 recruits were told to lie about a medical condition and they come from all over the country that tells me this is a major problem. I never said that EVERY recruiter does this I was only making a general statement. Thanks for turning this thread into an arguement rather than providing some information for people.