Serving in the military is considered a great honor by many people, but as much as the army is always open to more people joining up, some things can bar you from signing up. Turning one into a soldier is brutal and challenging; it involves very tough training that tries to mimic conditions on the battlefield. You will have to be of sound mind and health to be able to withstand these rigorous trials. The following are some of the medical conditions that will disqualify you from unbecoming a soldier of any kind.
Abdominal and Gastrointestinal Disorders
Diseases like gastritis, esophagitis, fistula, dysmotility disorders, and others are some of the conditions that will lead to you being blocked from joining up the military—diseases of the small intestines like inflammatory bowel disease, duodenal diverticula gastrointestinal bleeding, and pancreatic diseases. Cirrhosis, hepatic cysts, and abscess are some of the other conditions that will play a huge role in denying you clearance into the military.
Blood Diseases
Blood diseases that will affect your military service include the following; All forms of anemia, either hereditary or aplastic, or the form that has not been permanently addressed with therapy. Hemorrhagic disorders and any condition that increases your tendency to bleed, issuing coagulation disorders. More serious conditions like cancer of the blood like leukemia and other blood disorders like leukopenia. The presence of high-level immunodeficiency is also grounds for dismissal from becoming a military man or woman.
Dental Issues
Diseases of the jaws that are not remediable or the pains that will get in the way of the individual performing their duties adequately are a big issue. Conditions like temporomandibular disorders or myofascial pain will have you blocked. Lack of healthy teeth or the presence of imperfect implants that may come dislodged under stress. If you also have dental diseases whose treatment is still ongoing, chances of you being accepted become slimmer. That’s why it’s important to have your teeth checked by an expert like this trustworthy Dentist in keene so they can fix existing dental issues and prevent problems that may arise.
Ear Diseases
Some of the ear diseases that will stop you from becoming a marine include the following; Mastoiditis that prevents you from wearing protective masks during battles. Meniere’s syndrome and any other disorder of the vestibular system. Middle and inner ear diseases like chronic otitis, cholesteatoma are also a big issue. Having performed serious surgery to your ears before will also be flagged during the application process. If you also have a loss of hearing, you will not be allowed into the military.
Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders
Experiencing any of the following endocrine disorders will hamper your chances of becoming a solder. Having any adrenal dysfunction in the body of any degree and type. Having any type of diabetes mellitus. Suffering from persistent glycosuria, which affects your glucose tolerance, will also raise red flags. Suffering from metabolic disorders like gout, acromegaly, or any other disorder of the pituitary function, having hyperinsulinism, hyperparathyroidism, and goiter.
Motor Disorders
Exhibiting any form of a physical disability that may hamper your movement will disqualify you from the running to become a soldier—having one limb shorter than the other one, missing fingers, and toes, or having a dislocated shoulder. Other issues that are usually looked at deeply include having deep injuries and lacerations on your body, having muscular paralysis, and other related conditions like atrophy. Having prosthetic limbs or any external addition inside your body will also push you away from being considered for service.
Eye Disorders
Blindness cannot cut in the military, and the reasons for that are self-explanatory. Other non-serious eye conditions that will hamper your chances include the following: Conjunctivitis of all kinds, Pterygium that is encroaching on your cornea for up to 3mm. Suppose you have keratoconus, keratitis, or any serious condition that affects your optic nerves. Basically, anything that hampers the optimum functioning of your eyes will be considered a liability when you are signing up for service in the military.
Why the Military Has this Stand on Medical Conditions
There are valid reasons why the military has this stern stance regarding allowing people into service. Some of the reasons include the following.
- The cost of insuring people with special health conditions is very high. The military budget can only cater for people who are healthy at the time of joining since they become the military’s responsibility. Therefore, people with pre-existing conditions are an added cost, which is why they are not allowed in.
- Medical conditions may affect the discharging of duties. Soldiers find themselves in dangerous situations that demand high focus. This can only be achieved with a healthy body and mind. If you crack too easily under pressure, you may break down and endanger the lives of others who may be depending on you performing your role.
- Military training is extremely brutal. If you hide your pre-existing medical conditions, you may endanger your life during training since your body may not be able to keep up with the strict regiments.
Conclusion
Before deciding to join the military, make sure you are aware of your family’s disease history. Do check-ups all the time to eliminate anything that might become an obstacle later on. For the simple ones like hypertension, you can conduct the check up on your own at home using a PulseWave BP monitor. It is essential to ensure that your body is in a perfect state to handle the training if you choose to become a soldier.