Don't join the army if your broken!

[Jarnhamar]

[rant]
I don't want to deter anyone from joing the army here (wait yes I do) but if you're broken and or sick MAYBE the army isn't the best career path for you.

For the second time since this summer I was at the MIR waiting on someone when a mother (with her son in tow) was giving some poor medic or someone a hard time.

Her son NEEDED vibrim soles for his boots. He has back and knee problems and he needs speical boots bla bla bla.  The medic was trying to explain the process for getting the soles and suggested in the mean time her son might even look into getting the soles put on the boots himself.  Holy shit you should have seent he look on the mothers face. her son isn't paying one cent for something the army is required to provide  [Which pissed me off because I'm on my 3rd pair of self-bought vibrim soles] Way to milk the system, so why do we have money problems again?

Anyways my point is this mother made it sound like her son was ready to fall apart at any minute. he didn't look too healthy either though i'd probably look like i wanna crawl in a hole and die if she was my mother.

If your thinking of joining the canadian forces and your all busted and broken and sick then you MIGHT want to reconsider. Joining the army isn't the best on your health. Especially now since physical fitness standards are being more enforced.

Yes there are a lot of soldiers who are broken or injured sick or hurt but thats after spending 20 years in the army, not someone fresh off the street. People can't seem to understand the army is a physically demanding job irregardless of the pictures of out of shape soldiers.
I've seen infantry soldiers who are allergic to grass, i kid you not. This one soldier had a chit saying she didn't have to lay down in the grass because she was allergic to it... 
Soldiers allergic to metal (not the worst thing in the world but it has to be annoying as hell) and soldiers allergic to the  SUN.

I feel bad for these people and wanting to be a soldier is a noble and awesome thing but sometimes it just isn't ment to be.
I'm even at ends with my own brother over this. He has arthritis in his back from weightlifting too much as a teenager and now he can't stand for long periods. Calls in sick half the time because he can't work for more than 3 or 4 hours.
I'm an asshole because I'm trying to talk him out of joining suggesting that he wouldn't make it through basic. There's having hope and then there is being realistic.

Worst still, and I've spoke with them before, are the people who are hurt and think they can join the army and then be taken care of and have an easy go.  Doesn't work that way.

Anyways, if your hurt someone and still want to join the army have a serious bout of soul searching with yourself.  People get hurt a lot in the army, it's the nature of the job. Joining the army already hurt is a huge disadvantage and may just be a huge waste of your time so give it a lot of thought.
[/rant]

 

[ZipperHead]

Amen, brother. I, too, have seen soldiers, sans first hook, tricked out in the finest boots that Corcoran, Danner, Matterhorn, et al have to offer, or even Mk III's with the VIbram sole, when there are veteran ground pounders and other combat arms types who have to jump through hoops the size of a flea's ringpiece to get their first pair of "Gucci" footwear.

I know that I have said on the past that EVERYONE should have the good footwear, but it should start with those that have been broken down by shitty footwear that the military has provided, not Johhny and Suzy fresh off civvy street.

It seems that in it's zeal to recruit anything with a heartbeat, the CF isn't being selective enough, and allows in too many pers with pre-existing medical problems. If people had any foresight, they would realize that this is going to cause problems down the road. That, and the culture of entitlement in society today, is creating a "Gimme, gimme, gimme" mentality (as witnessed by Ghost's example of little Pte Bloggin's mama DEMANDING special footwear for her little sadsack son).

Al

 

[HItorMiss]

OK I'm confused.....yeah it's normal

What the heck was a guys mother doing at MIR?

next point was this guy already in the Forces or was he in the recruitment process?

For the love of god your in ******* army people! you can either hack it or you can't, If your already hurt, humping a ruck isn't going to make it better, I spent 5 yrs in mkIII before I got vibrams and it was medic on my Recce course that saw me popping some pills for sore knees that got me started on getting the vibrams. Me knees thank that medic everyday LOL

And explain to me how your mother goes with you to work? have some self respect!

 

[Hunter]

Excellent post, Ghost.  It's incredible how many seem to think that they can join with health issues and expect the military to accommodate them.  What kind of kid would think he's grown-up enough to join the military, but still needs his mommy to come to his rescue?  

That's funny about the infantry soldier allergic to grass.  I can see it now, playing enemy force on an exercise.  

Observer controllers giving instructions:"Ok, there will be a soldier standing up and moving right up through here (points in direction of expected attack), but do not fire upon her.  She is notionally crawling forward because she's allergic to grass.   Sorry it's out of my hands, she's got a chit."   :

 

[George Wallace]

Yes....Ghost778 


Your rant intrigues me.  What was this guys Mother doing in the MIR with her son in tow?  Man....how can he hold his head up in the Unit now?

 

[military granny]

Guys
I know of one kid (at my age I can call them that) that had severe stress fractures in his feet and was told to sit out his graduation ceremonies. he replied that if he can get through basic then he would be on parade for grad no matter what. And his feet healed over time and he is doing fine. Now I could maybe understand if injuries happened in the field but before a kid even gets out there on those lovely ruck marches and ex's. The mama's boy should do the thing his mama wants and stay home .

 

[Jarnhamar]

My only guess is that his mother is an actual service member herself. She sounded like she knew the system somewhat. He was in uniform. I felt bad for the kid more than I was pissed off.  i think the mother was 'one of them types'

I try and tell people the same thing about screwing yourself.
If your just comming into the army and you want a nice new pair of $300 boots so you say you have knee and back problems, well thats not shit you can take back.  Back and knee problems don't "get better" and your screwing the system for boots might have long term effects on your career.

I can see it now.
So you joined the army and now your saying you have knee problems? You've had knee problems all your life? Well on your recruitment medical you stated you didnt have ANY problems. Looks like someone lied... bye

People wonder why I buy my own vibrim soles.  Because I'm NOT hurt and I'm not about to pretend I am just to save $70.

 

[Armymedic]

My only guess is that his mother is an actual service member herself. She sounded like she knew the system somewhat. He was in uniform. I felt bad for the kid more than I was pissed off.  i think the mother was 'one of them types'

Was her first name Vern?  ;D Just kidding...don't kill me....please.

Actually having your mother in the service is becoming more common. It doesn't surprise me...actually very few things surprise me now.

Ref your rant, Amen, Ghost, Amen.
I do not know how many times young troops come in with sore knees, hips and back, and the first they say is "I need new boots". No, you sack of poo, if you were in better shape and actually did pt more then once a week your body would not hurt.
Since when in the military, did you get exactly what you want the first time you asked for it?

But you know, it is getting better. Med Services are realizing the same thing about the $300 boots, and are now more likely to put you onto a TCat than to get you new boots now. Its cheaper and does the same thing...prevents you from being hurt worse.

Do you know what is more annoying? Same hurt soldiers who are almost capable to have their PDRs written by UMS staff, miraculously healing themselves when ever there is a tour or other "good go" coming around. Medics are no exception to that either.

 

[HItorMiss]

Why do you have to be so mean to me Doc..... I'm hurt!

Not my fault I looking at all them pretty pretty ladies at the UMS, their so puuurrtyyy  ;D

 

[Armymedic]

Why do you have to be so mean to me Doc..... I'm hurt!

Yes, hurt....not injured. We all know what means.  ushup:

 

[armyvern]

Was her first name Vern?  ;D Just kidding...don't kill me....please.

It wasn't me!! My son is 12.  ;D
And he frequently tells me that I am not the 'mothering' type!!  ;D

 

[armyvern]

Amen, brother. I, too, have seen soldiers, sans first hook, tricked out in the finest boots that Corcoran, Danner, Matterhorn, et al have to offer, or even Mk III's with the VIbram sole, when there are veteran ground pounders and other combat arms types who have to jump through hoops the size of a flea's ringpiece to get their first pair of "Gucci" footwear.

And, I agree with you Alan. It's quite irritating isn't it?

It's also very irritating every end fiscal year when I am questioned by my CoC as to why we've overspent our "boot" budget by XXX thousands of dollars purchasing vibram soles or local off the rack 'Danners etc" or other footwear each year. I have to tell them each year....don't ask Supply for the answer to this question...ask the people who write the chits that cause us to have to buy these items.

 

[GINge!]

Why do I get the feeling this is some kind of wind-up to a "your mother wears army boots" punch-line?

 

[beach_bum]

So you joined the army and now your saying you have knee problems? You've had knee problems all your life? Well on your recruitment medical you stated you didnt have ANY problems. Looks like someone lied... bye

That right there is my big question.  How did they get in?  Did they lie?  Well, tossing their behinds out the door is A LOT cheaper than providing them with Gucci boots for the next some odd years.

 

[Franko]

I joined the reserves back in 88 and got on to B Class contract  until 94 when I joined the regs...and got hurt along the way.

Today I have:

- a back that gets injured from time to time....nothing I can do about, pinched nerve...back goes into spasm etc. Due to a training accident....in 93

- a wonkey knee....due to PT incident (Jiu Jitsu...throwing guy who weighed over 250 and my knee decided to go on coffee break)

- wrist that was crushed by a moron (he looks like a character off of STS9....Odo or something)

After all of that I finally got a chit for Vibram soles on my boots....3 years ago.

The Physio Doc saw the light and gave me the paper....which I was quite happy to get.

After putting up with a bad back for well over 10 years and crummy boots....putting on the Vibrams was a God send.

My point is, you will get injured in the forces....particularly in the Army. Getting in with a health concern is not the best idea....

It's only going to get worse.

Regards

BTW....I'd get the boys to kick me in the nuts before I ever let my mother come in to the UMS with me.  As for lying on his application.....Shameful.

 

[Wookilar]

I remember when I left Cornwallis, I had ended up with multiple (are there any other kind?) stress fractures in both my feet. Might have had something to do with the fact that I was a soft skinny tent-baby that had never done much physical work in my life before joining. I think I'm like everybody else here, I can understand people breaking. Been broken myself a few times (2 concussions, broken fingers/feet, crushed hand[almost lost 2 fingers], multiple shoulder dislocations [left only], etc, etc), on and off course, so I certainly understand how it can happen. Boy, did I ever enjoy being a Vehicle Tech : But, while I may have been a softie when I entered, I certainly wasn't broken (to start with)!

Have the pre-enrollment medicals changed so much that a lot of this stuff gets missed? Has it really become that much of a push to get our numbers up that people are being accepted regardless of physical conditioning?  :'(

 

[Springroll]

Now, I am curious as to your opinions about someone joining the CF and later(after signing and a few years in) being diagnosed with something that they were born with?

Is it the same opinion?
Just curious, that's all.

 

[chrisf]

Very simple question, if it's a noted fact that the MkIII combat boots eventually wreck people, why do folks have a problem with getting them resoled or replaced? Effective prevention is far better then ineffective cure.

I should note, I have vibram soled combat boots, the chit was issued because of an injury which has since mostly healed (Will never be quite the same), though the soles were not purchased at public expense, $120 + the cost of two one way cab rides, and they're worth every penny I ever spent.

 

[Franko]

Now, I am curious as to your opinions about someone joining the CF and later(after signing and a few years in) being diagnosed with something that they were born with?

Is it the same opinion?
Just curious, that's all.

Totally different....as long as the individual didn't know about it and it wasn't detected during the screening.

I know of someone who was diagnosed with a hole in his heart (no names no pack drill) and it kept him from going on tour with us for Roto 4/0. The man is in great shape and it came as a complete surprise to everyone who heard of it. He has been serving for at least 10 years as of right now.

He is currently being taken care of through the system and will probably be able to go on tour within the next year or so.

As long as it can be sorted out....can't see it being a problem, unless the individual lied on his application.

Regards

 

[Springroll]

Thank you for your reply, Franko.

and just so you know, he never lied on his application.
He has been in for just about 10 years and was only diagnosed in January of this year.