Medical impediment to Military service?

[theGringo]

Suppose a 19yo young man was contemplating military service. He's bright and tests well, and is in good physical condition ... the stocky, sturdy type. He'd be in college right now if I could afford it.

So military service is an option under consideration. Buuuut ... when he was 15 he broke both legs in a skiing accident ... tib-fib fractures above both ankles.

They were clean breaks and healed well. There are no apparent signs or symptoms of the injury since the casts came of.

Is there any chance that the prior injury would automatically preclude certain types of service?

He's talked about jumping out of airplanes. I'd rather see him in the Coast Guard, but I'm his dad and that's my job.

 

[terraformer]

Suppose a 19yo young man was contemplating military service. He's bright and tests well, and is in good physical condition ... the stocky, sturdy type. He'd be in college right now if I could afford it.

So military service is an option under consideration. Buuuut ... when he was 15 he broke both legs in a skiing accident ... tib-fib fractures above both ankles.

They were clean breaks and healed well. There are no apparent signs or symptoms of the injury since the casts came of.

Is there any chance that the prior injury would automatically preclude certain types of service?

He's talked about jumping out of airplanes. I'd rather see him in the Coast Guard, but I'm his dad and that's my job.

I speak with some experience here, they can be picky. The reason is if he breaks his leg the day after basic ends, and permanently screws himself up, they are apparently on the hook for some amount of disability. I have a heart murmur and so does a cousin. I was never allowed in and he was kicked out in his final week of basic in the Navy. It was August, 90+ heat and humidity in FL and he was light headed after running x miles. Go figure... Well he was checked out as a precaution and the doc noticed the murmur that was missed when he was not stressed, and they sectioned him right there on the spot and he had an honorable discharge (he did not know about it so he never lied on his app, but in me it was a known issue and can be heard without stress) within a few days. The reason given was the second he was done with basic, he was their problem and they didn't want the headaches. Both of us are otherwise healthy and strong. I used to run 36 miles a week as recently as a few years ago. These days I suspect he would never have been turned away.
Will a leg break be an issue? I doubt it, but so long as he is honest about it, they will make the decision. If he is not honest, he could be booted for lying. The spots right around a break are far stronger than the rest of the bone so there is no reason to think these would be an issue.

 

[theGringo]

I speak with some experience here, they can be picky. The reason is if he breaks his leg the day after basic ends, and permanently screws himself up, they are apparently on the hook for some amount of disability. I have a heart murmur and so does a cousin. I was never allowed in and he was kicked out in his final week of basic in the Navy. It was August, 90+ heat and humidity in FL and he was light headed after running x miles. Go figure... Well he was checked out as a precaution and the doc noticed the murmur that was missed when he was not stressed, and they sectioned him right there on the spot and he had an honorable discharge (he did not know about it so he never lied on his app, but in me it was a known issue and can be heard without stress) within a few days. The reason given was the second he was done with basic, he was their problem and they didn't want the headaches. Both of us are otherwise healthy and strong. I used to run 36 miles a week as recently as a few years ago. These days I suspect he would never have been turned away.
Will a leg break be an issue? I doubt it, but so long as he is honest about it, they will make the decision. If he is not honest, he could be booted for lying. The spots right around a break are far stronger than the rest of the bone so there is no reason to think these would be an issue.

Thanks, terrafomer. Yeah, he's under no illusion that he'll have to be right up front about that. At some point it's going to come down to a physical exam and testing, and I imagine there's some kind of medical history information required before things progress too far.

 

[B & K Sales LLC]

Before your son can take a physical, he should fill out the correct medical forms (2807-2) provided by the recruiter. The recruiter should submit the form with ""ALL"" medical documents from both the Doctor and hospital for what is called a "PRE-EVAL". If x-rays were taken just after the breaks, during treatment, and prior to being released from Dr's care, get them. The docs at the Military Entrance Station (MEPS) wants to see medical records, not a doctor's letter saying individual is OK and fit for military duty. If he is permanately disqualified by the MEPS doctor, the service he is enlisting for can apply for a medical waiver. Again. I cannot stress enough, have all medical records showing the type/location of break, how it was fixed, external or internal, type of therepy and medical notes indicating any long term effects. The more you have, the faster the waiver process. MEPS doctor's have their set of medical requlations and sometimes they harder then the medical standards of the individual service......tell your son good
luck!!!!

 

[Martlet]

Before your son can take a physical, he should fill out the correct medical forms (2807-2) provided by the recruiter. The recruiter should submit the form with ""ALL"" medical documents from both the Doctor and hospital for what is called a "PRE-EVAL". If x-rays were taken just after the breaks, during treatment, and prior to being released from Dr's care, get them. The docs at the Military Entrance Station (MEPS) wants to see medical records, not a doctor's letter saying individual is OK and fit for military duty. If he is permanately disqualified by the MEPS doctor, the service he is enlisting for can apply for a medical waiver. Again. I cannot stress enough, have all medical records showing the type/location of break, how it was fixed, external or internal, type of therepy and medical notes indicating any long term effects. The more you have, the faster the waiver process. MEPS doctor's have their set of medical requlations and sometimes they harder then the medical standards of the individual service......tell your son good
luck!!!!

This.

 

[Dench]

if they dont know about it they cant control it.

 

[wolf223]

if they dont know about it they cant control it.

they won't know unless the person fall apart during initial entry training

if the person goes on sick call a lot or is suspected to be hiding something, they can be put out if the military determines the person has a pre-existing problem that would have disqualified them from service...

a waiver is the best way to go because if they (military) break it, they fix it!