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itsy
10-08-10, 11:33 AM
I have severe allergies and I take non-prescription clariton for it daily which helps drastically- I have no problems when I take it. Is there anyway I could get a waiver to be able to take one clariton in the morning or whenever I got the chance or will I just have to tough it out.. What about MCT/MOS School?

R Landry
10-08-10, 05:05 PM
Try getting your family doctor to write prescriptions for similar drugs and then show your scrips to the doc at MCRD.

R Landry
10-09-10, 08:44 AM
On the other hand, belay my advice on getting a doctor's prescription. The MCRD docs might over-react and 'med you out' right there in receiving. After boot camp, you should be able to get to a real PX and get OTC Claritin.

I assume you know about gas-mask training during ITR after boot camp. When I was there (1965), they made us put on our gas masks and then they herded us into a room where CS gas was flowing. That was a test to see if your mask was properly fitted. Then, just for shucks, they made us remove our masks and made us stand in that room inhaling that CS gas. Now that'll clear up your allergies real fast.

R Landry
10-09-10, 09:02 AM
From Sgt Leprechaun:

Medical & Criminal Waivers...READ THIS FIRST
I'm noticing a disturbing trend of late, and that is folks coming here and asking various and sundry medical questions most of which WE cannot answer, not being doctors. However, through long experience, perhaps this short tutorial will assist in the answering of questions, and avoid the seemingly constant questions of "I have.....can I?"

The 2nd part of this is to avoid adding yet another sticky to this thread, so I'm combining 'criminal' waivers as well. That will be in part 2 of the thread. If you are curious about 'criminal' issues, skip this and go to the next post.

First, and foremost, you may WANT to be a Marine/Recon/Infantryman etc etc with all your very being, your heart and soul, and it's been your dream since you were knee high to a grasshopper. Alas, all that 'want' and a dollar, will buy you a cup of coffee at the 7-11.

"Want" don't hump the pack in the Afghan Mountains, nor does it toil through the swamps and heat of Camp Lejeune. The Marine Corps needs FULLY FIT Marines, not Marines who need inhalors, have food allergies, or anything ELSE that would make them a liability to themselves, and others in wartime, or even in a peacetime training environment. Read that again, slowly....LIABILITY to OTHER MARINES and YOURSELF.

Conditions which won't even be considered include ANYTHING that has to do with breathing difficulties since age 13, (if you were prescribed an inhalor, had/have asthma, missing a lung, or any OTHER breathing issues...) you are disqualified. Confirm this with a recruiter, but plan on that being the answer. Now, you might very well run marathons, play football, never used the equipment, and so on and so forth, but if you were PRESCRIBED it, the law PRESUMES you USED it. Go blame your overprotective parents, society, teachers, or whomever. That's just the way it is, and the way the Marine Corps will view it. No amount of complaining, crying, begging, or pleading will change that fact. Seek career opportunities elsewhere.

Next on the list, Mental disorders. No offense, folks, but if you suffer from depression, manic depressive, schzio, ADHD, ADD, attempted suicide, spent time in a mental ward, institution, or padded room of any sort, AS DIAGNOSED BY A LICENSED PHYSICIAN/MEDICAL PROVIDER, you are disqualified from enlistment. IF you were prescribed medication for any/all of the above, you will need to be COMPLETELY MEDICATION FREE FOR A MINIMUM OF ONE YEAR, AND HAVE A DOCTORS CERTIFICATION STATING YOU NO LONGER HAVE THE CONDITION WHICH RESULTED IN THE MEDICATION BEING PRESCRIBED to be "Considered" for a waiver, which in all likelihood, will be disapproved. (The military as a whole is realizing that it has taken in too many people with prior diagnosed mental issues that have re-occurred....). Why in the WORLD you believe you could successfully handle the rigors of Recruit Training, not to mention heavy and sustained combat, multiple deployments, and close living in somewhat harmony with 100 of your closest "Friends" without making any or all of those conditions WORSE, and becoming a liability to YOURSELF AND FELLOW Marines, is beyond me. Trust me, it's hard enough on folks that don't start out with these issues, much less already having them. Seek other career paths.

Broken bones: If you suffered a normal broken bone and it healed normally, with no issues, a waiver will likely be granted. IF you had to have pins, parts, metal things, etc, added, your chances of a waiver are poor. Still, YOU should contact a recruiter.

Taking medication of ANY kind, as prescribed by a LICENSED PHYSICIAN. You can't take it to recruit training. Disqualifed. See a recruiter for specific details. The one year rule may or may not apply.

Major surgeries: If you were born with missing parts (kidneys, testicles, etc etc) you are disqualified. If you had parts removed, including fingers, kidneys, testicles, breasts, etc, for any reason, you are disqualified. See a recruiter for fingertips, toes, toenails, or very MINOR things like that, including hernias getting fixed.

Scoliosis, diseases of the spine. Disqualified. Period.

Blood diseases: Generally disqualifed.

So, that's about it. Take it as a "General rule of thumb" that if you are NOT in good health NOW, the military is really not interested in you. Perhaps you've been told otherwise, or believed it to be so, but I'm afraid that answer is incorrect.

I'll leave this one open for a bit for comments FROM MARINES OR DOCS DIRECTLY RELATING TO THE ABOVE. Poolee/Friend/wannabee commentary will be deleted and the offender will get a 7 day extraction for failing to follow simple instructions.