-
FreeAdvice has a new Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, effective May 25, 2018.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our Terms of Service and use of cookies.
Can I join the military despite my asthma?
- Thread starter DylanH
- Start date
Accident - Bankruptcy - Criminal Law / DUI - Business - Consumer - Employment - Family - Immigration - Real Estate - Tax - Traffic - Wills Please click a topic or scroll down for more.
Such a shame I was out of town. I am a former Army Recruiter and I know what you are facing.
You have two issues going forward. First, enlistment rates are higher than ever due to the economy. This creates pressure on the Recruiters from above to go for the "low hanging fruit". They are encouraged to not seek out applicants with ANY issues due to the increased processing time and costs associated with them. Second, an Asthma diagnosis is difficult to overcome during the enlistment process, no matter what the Recruiting environment is at the time.
What you need is to tell them to process you for enlistment. They are not allowed to disqualify any applicant at the station level, only MEPS can do so. Once there, you will be DQed for the Asthma diagnosis. Request a PFT (Pulmonary Fitness Test) consult. You will have to go back to MEPS for transportation to this appointment and blow into the little device again, only at the government's expense rather than your own. You will have to do this whether or not you get a clean bill of health from your provider, so skip that and do it through MEPS. Once you pass the PFT, the Recruiters have to submit the waiver, usually approved with a passing PFT (it's difficult to impossible to fake the test if you truly have asthma, and jut plain difficult to pass when healthy).
At no time will this have an effect on the MOSs being offered, you are now considered a fully qualified applicant. It's just a long road to travel, and the current Recruiting environment is not conducive to the additional time and costs involved.
Good luck!
You have two issues going forward. First, enlistment rates are higher than ever due to the economy. This creates pressure on the Recruiters from above to go for the "low hanging fruit". They are encouraged to not seek out applicants with ANY issues due to the increased processing time and costs associated with them. Second, an Asthma diagnosis is difficult to overcome during the enlistment process, no matter what the Recruiting environment is at the time.
What you need is to tell them to process you for enlistment. They are not allowed to disqualify any applicant at the station level, only MEPS can do so. Once there, you will be DQed for the Asthma diagnosis. Request a PFT (Pulmonary Fitness Test) consult. You will have to go back to MEPS for transportation to this appointment and blow into the little device again, only at the government's expense rather than your own. You will have to do this whether or not you get a clean bill of health from your provider, so skip that and do it through MEPS. Once you pass the PFT, the Recruiters have to submit the waiver, usually approved with a passing PFT (it's difficult to impossible to fake the test if you truly have asthma, and jut plain difficult to pass when healthy).
At no time will this have an effect on the MOSs being offered, you are now considered a fully qualified applicant. It's just a long road to travel, and the current Recruiting environment is not conducive to the additional time and costs involved.
Good luck!
five1000meters
Junior Member
DRTDEVL - A similar question
I read the post of the author of the thread with great interest as I have a similar problem. Unlike he, I definitely have been diagnosed with asthma (after 13) and treated for it via daily medications. A well regarded allergist the area, however, believes I may just have bad allergies (Apparently, I live in the allergy capitol of the United States).
If pursuing a waiver, would any consideration be given to an applicant's fitness? I just graduated from university and competed in NCAA DI cross country/track for 5 years. I have run 8:11 for 3 kilometers, 14:24 for 5 kilometers and done a half marathon in 1 hour and 8 minutes. Clearly, I have a demonstrated ability to work at a high output despite asthma or allergies.
If I can get my foot in the door, would that be considered? Or would I be wasting my time and a recruiters? If that's the case, that's okay. There are other ways to contribute.
I read the post of the author of the thread with great interest as I have a similar problem. Unlike he, I definitely have been diagnosed with asthma (after 13) and treated for it via daily medications. A well regarded allergist the area, however, believes I may just have bad allergies (Apparently, I live in the allergy capitol of the United States).
If pursuing a waiver, would any consideration be given to an applicant's fitness? I just graduated from university and competed in NCAA DI cross country/track for 5 years. I have run 8:11 for 3 kilometers, 14:24 for 5 kilometers and done a half marathon in 1 hour and 8 minutes. Clearly, I have a demonstrated ability to work at a high output despite asthma or allergies.
If I can get my foot in the door, would that be considered? Or would I be wasting my time and a recruiters? If that's the case, that's okay. There are other ways to contribute.
Last edited:
A second opinion
This all may have been overcome by events, but here's my 2nd opinion.
One concept I learned in the military is that any bad paper must be covered by good paper.
The primary care notes that give a "Diagnosis" of asthma are bad paper. You need to have good paper, an opinion from a more expert and current source that you do not have any pulmonary diagnosis or impairment.
From what you state, I personally question the diagnosis of asthma. Wheezing is a sign of bronchospasm. Not all bronchospasm is due to asthma. Bronchitis can cause wheezing, and that was your diagnosis with your first event.
A respiratory infection can cause bronchiolitis and resultant wheezing.
I personally have asthma and am a medical professional. Although I can't give a diagnosis or treat over the internet, these two isolated episodes in the absence of other episodes triggered by excercise, exposure to cold air, and other normal triggers does not sound like asthma.
My suggestion would be to seek an opinion from a pulmonary doctor. That doctor might want to order tests such as spirometry. A Methacholine Challenge test might be performed if your symptoms and screening spirometry do not clearly or convincingly establish a diagnosis of asthma.
I found an excellent research article dealing with ROTC candidates and the issue of asthma. Methacholine Challenge Testing in Reserve Officer Training Corps Cadets* ? CHEST
That article stated:
After Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, the Department of Defense Physical Standards for Enlistment, Appointment, and Induction were modified so that “asthma reliably diagnosed at any age” disqualifies the applicant for accession into the military.7 Previously, asthma before age 12 years with no subsequent symptoms or therapy was permissible for accession and entry into active duty.15 At present, individuals can obtain a waiver to enter into active duty with a history of asthma only if methacholine challenge test results are negative.
The potential problems in applying that regulation involve concerns that inductees often cannot recall their exact symptoms, evaluation, or treatment of a condition they had as a young child. In addition, primary-care practitioners may erroneously make the diagnosis of asthma on clinical grounds.16 Consequently, during military induction, entrance examination staff or recruiters often request spirometry testing to obtain objective evidence. If spirometry results are normal, as is often the case, a methacholine challenge test typically follows. In this setting, a positive result for the test would be interpreted as substantiation that an uncertain remote history indeed reflected asthma. Under current regulations, this would disqualify the applicant in most cases.
The good paper would be a pulmonary evaluation and negative methacholine challenge test. I hope that you get to read this and I hope this is helpful. If you do get accepted into the service, best of luck and I appreciate your willingness to serve.
This all may have been overcome by events, but here's my 2nd opinion.
One concept I learned in the military is that any bad paper must be covered by good paper.
The primary care notes that give a "Diagnosis" of asthma are bad paper. You need to have good paper, an opinion from a more expert and current source that you do not have any pulmonary diagnosis or impairment.
From what you state, I personally question the diagnosis of asthma. Wheezing is a sign of bronchospasm. Not all bronchospasm is due to asthma. Bronchitis can cause wheezing, and that was your diagnosis with your first event.
A respiratory infection can cause bronchiolitis and resultant wheezing.
I personally have asthma and am a medical professional. Although I can't give a diagnosis or treat over the internet, these two isolated episodes in the absence of other episodes triggered by excercise, exposure to cold air, and other normal triggers does not sound like asthma.
My suggestion would be to seek an opinion from a pulmonary doctor. That doctor might want to order tests such as spirometry. A Methacholine Challenge test might be performed if your symptoms and screening spirometry do not clearly or convincingly establish a diagnosis of asthma.
I found an excellent research article dealing with ROTC candidates and the issue of asthma. Methacholine Challenge Testing in Reserve Officer Training Corps Cadets* ? CHEST
That article stated:
After Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, the Department of Defense Physical Standards for Enlistment, Appointment, and Induction were modified so that “asthma reliably diagnosed at any age” disqualifies the applicant for accession into the military.7 Previously, asthma before age 12 years with no subsequent symptoms or therapy was permissible for accession and entry into active duty.15 At present, individuals can obtain a waiver to enter into active duty with a history of asthma only if methacholine challenge test results are negative.
The potential problems in applying that regulation involve concerns that inductees often cannot recall their exact symptoms, evaluation, or treatment of a condition they had as a young child. In addition, primary-care practitioners may erroneously make the diagnosis of asthma on clinical grounds.16 Consequently, during military induction, entrance examination staff or recruiters often request spirometry testing to obtain objective evidence. If spirometry results are normal, as is often the case, a methacholine challenge test typically follows. In this setting, a positive result for the test would be interpreted as substantiation that an uncertain remote history indeed reflected asthma. Under current regulations, this would disqualify the applicant in most cases.
The good paper would be a pulmonary evaluation and negative methacholine challenge test. I hope that you get to read this and I hope this is helpful. If you do get accepted into the service, best of luck and I appreciate your willingness to serve.
What she said:I read the post of the author of the thread with great interest as I have a similar problem. Unlike he, I definitely have been diagnosed with asthma (after 13) and treated for it via daily medications. A well regarded allergist the area, however, believes I may just have bad allergies (Apparently, I live in the allergy capitol of the United States).
If pursuing a waiver, would any consideration be given to an applicant's fitness? I just graduated from university and competed in NCAA DI cross country/track for 5 years. I have run 8:11 for 3 kilometers, 14:24 for 5 kilometers and done a half marathon in 1 hour and 8 minutes. Clearly, I have a demonstrated ability to work at a high output despite asthma or allergies.
If I can get my foot in the door, would that be considered? Or would I be wasting my time and a recruiters? If that's the case, that's okay. There are other ways to contribute.
The only change is the test is called the "PFT" for MEPS purposes.This all may have been overcome by events, but here's my 2nd opinion.
One concept I learned in the military is that any bad paper must be covered by good paper.
The primary care notes that give a "Diagnosis" of asthma are bad paper. You need to have good paper, an opinion from a more expert and current source that you do not have any pulmonary diagnosis or impairment.
From what you state, I personally question the diagnosis of asthma. Wheezing is a sign of bronchospasm. Not all bronchospasm is due to asthma. Bronchitis can cause wheezing, and that was your diagnosis with your first event.
A respiratory infection can cause bronchiolitis and resultant wheezing.
I personally have asthma and am a medical professional. Although I can't give a diagnosis or treat over the internet, these two isolated episodes in the absence of other episodes triggered by excercise, exposure to cold air, and other normal triggers does not sound like asthma.
My suggestion would be to seek an opinion from a pulmonary doctor. That doctor might want to order tests such as spirometry. A Methacholine Challenge test might be performed if your symptoms and screening spirometry do not clearly or convincingly establish a diagnosis of asthma.
I found an excellent research article dealing with ROTC candidates and the issue of asthma. Methacholine Challenge Testing in Reserve Officer Training Corps Cadets* ? CHEST
That article stated:
After Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, the Department of Defense Physical Standards for Enlistment, Appointment, and Induction were modified so that “asthma reliably diagnosed at any age” disqualifies the applicant for accession into the military.7 Previously, asthma before age 12 years with no subsequent symptoms or therapy was permissible for accession and entry into active duty.15 At present, individuals can obtain a waiver to enter into active duty with a history of asthma only if methacholine challenge test results are negative.
The potential problems in applying that regulation involve concerns that inductees often cannot recall their exact symptoms, evaluation, or treatment of a condition they had as a young child. In addition, primary-care practitioners may erroneously make the diagnosis of asthma on clinical grounds.16 Consequently, during military induction, entrance examination staff or recruiters often request spirometry testing to obtain objective evidence. If spirometry results are normal, as is often the case, a methacholine challenge test typically follows. In this setting, a positive result for the test would be interpreted as substantiation that an uncertain remote history indeed reflected asthma. Under current regulations, this would disqualify the applicant in most cases.
The good paper would be a pulmonary evaluation and negative methacholine challenge test. I hope that you get to read this and I hope this is helpful. If you do get accepted into the service, best of luck and I appreciate your willingness to serve.
Find the Right Lawyer for Your Legal Issue!
Fast, Free, and Confidential
data-ad-format="auto">