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Can I join the military with asthma?

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Arsenault88

Junior Member
Hey my name is Paul and i'm a junior in highschool. After highschool I am considering joining the military but I was told that I can't if I have asthma. I was wondering if there is a way that I can join if I have asthma???
 


I AM ALWAYS LIABLE

Senior Member
Arsenault88 said:
Hey my name is Paul and i'm a junior in highschool. After highschool I am considering joining the military but I was told that I can't if I have asthma. I was wondering if there is a way that I can join if I have asthma???

My response:

Yes. The Army will turn you into a target dummy in Bagdad.

And, this is the quality we're getting to fight our wars . . .

IAAL
 

rmet4nzkx

Senior Member
Arsenault88 said:
Hey my name is Paul and i'm a junior in highschool. After highschool I am considering joining the military but I was told that I can't if I have asthma. I was wondering if there is a way that I can join if I have asthma???
Hi Paul,
Thanks for starting your own thread :)
It is possible to get a waiver however as the other poster demonstrated getting through the training with asthma can be difficult although not impossible.
I strongly suggest since you already have asthma to be tested for Alpha-1-Antitrypsin Deficiency For more information on Alpha-1, please call the Alpha-1 Foundation toll-free at: 1-877-2 CURE A1 (or 1-877-228-7321) they can send you a free test kit. I ask you to do this first because if you have the full defieciency or even a varient 1 defective gene you may be more sensitive to environmental irritations in addition to exercise induced asthma possible in the military.

After that if A1AD is not a problem, discuss your intent with your parents and your doctors and then the recruiter who will assist you, they also have some pre-enlistment activities where you can develop your physicial strength and that will give you an idea how you will fare during training. You might also want to find out where your boot camp and AIT will be. If you are under 18 your parents will have to sign for you.
 

lcplUSMCR

Junior Member
Arsenault88 said:
Hey my name is Paul and i'm a junior in highschool. After highschool I am considering joining the military but I was told that I can't if I have asthma. I was wondering if there is a way that I can join if I have asthma???
Well the Marines will take you if you can prove that you can make it through a stress test. Thats what I had to do at Walter Reed Medical Center in DC before I joined the marines. I have sports induced asthma, which the first time through meps disqualified me from joining. My recruiters took me to get a stress test and I barely passed, and I had to get 3 MILITARY doctors to sign a waiver for me. But yes you can, but honestly, dont do it if your asthma is bad, cause boot will be to hard. there were runs and humps where I thought for sure id die. Also, the marine corps will not let you have an inhaler.
 

Arsenault88

Junior Member
yea i'm pretty much in the same boat as you. I have sports induced asthma and it usually kicks in when I run a lot. I'm going to start to run everyday without an inhaler to see if I can train myself to not use it, because I want to join the marines wicked bad.
 
Join the Air Force. We ran a grueling 1.5 miles like twice a week and had to do an occasional push up during boot. Then after tech school when you go to your assignment you just need to worry about the occasional on the job hazards such as spitballs, papercuts and air conditioner failures...

(I was in the AF so I can make fun of myself darn it!)
 

Arsenault88

Junior Member
haha yea i was considering that but they don't have any type of infantry unless i go into combat control which i was thinking of doing
 

ARMY-HELP

Member
I would also like to add something I have personally seen in the Army. You want to be Infantry wich is a very good thing,I'm a grunt myself.

Let's just say you "just make it by" and get to a unit. If Your command notice a problem they can always make you drive a truck,then your locked into something for 8 years that you really don't want to do.

I have personally seen men go mad and it happens all the time.
 

blkwolfpac

Junior Member
I would not recommend you going into the infantry with astma. you could wind up driving vehicles or doing logistic type work rather then humping, getting down and up running on the ground with the guys where you feel the comaraderie. I too am a former infantryman 3rd-ID. there are other combat jobs that you might look into like being a tanker those guys dont dismount their tank to fight the enemie unless the tank get hit. or field artillery, combat engineers. Also a plt leader doesnt have to take you in his platoon once he finds out that you have astma problems so you will probably most likely wind up in headquarters plt or be ship out to work in battalion somewhere or some other shame job. but if thats what you really want to do then go for it....BE ALL YOU CAN BE
 

lcplUSMCR

Junior Member
unfortunately, i can telly you right now that the marines, will NOT let you be in the 0300 field, which is infantry if you have sports induced asthma. In SOI, school of infantry, they hump about 25 miles. At least twice in those 2 weeks. A marine "hump" is like trotting the whole way. its hard enough to do a ten mile, thats all i ever had to do, much less 25. Also, marines run 3 times a week for about 6 miles every time. What i ahd to do was just condition myself to stay with the run. Ill admit i fell out once or twice, but I always finished. Asthma will make the marines difficult, but not impossible. If you still want to join, talk to you recruiter about being a combat engineer, or maybe an electrician or something. Those guys run around with the infantry, but they dont do all the same physical stuff. Also remember son, that wahtever you choose to do in the marines. whether your a paper pusher. or just a water purifyer, every marine is a rifleman. you WILL get the combat training, 3 weeks, right along with the infantry troops, they just go on for another 5 after that. Good luck in whatever you decide to do.
 

Arsenault88

Junior Member
thanks for the replies everyone its making me think a lot more. I'm still deciding on what to do but i know for sure i'm gonna join the military.
 

Snipes5

Senior Member
Try the Coast Guard. You will still have to run and there is PT but you won't have to be a target.

Snipes
 

iXiLerate

Junior Member
Oh, Thank god Because My friends have been liek "You cant join the Army if You have asthma." :eek: D: Dat was sadz. But nao I happeh again! :)
 

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