Posted by: spacecanada
« on: May 09, 2017, 03:50:21 PM »In America, maybe, but not necessarily in other countries. I'm not even sure its an official policy in some countries, which is why I think some people still slide under the wire and get burnt later like the man in the initial article. I became super curious and looked this up today, even messaging my friend to get the details. Pardon me for not using correct military terms (I'm not military.)
1) It appears that in Canada they are excluding more and more people with allergies from joining the military. Some people still seem to get through though, whether it be because of their particular allergy not being common, the position they apply for, or random chance I don't know. Back when I went through recruitment it wasn't considered as much as it is now.
2) My friend fully disclosed his egg allergy up front (back at the same year I went through recruitment) and was accepted and posted on foreign soil twice (Germany, Afghanistan). He often went hungry in Afghanistan because he could only eat in the crew mess. He would hoard and trade food whilst in Afghanistan. Probably not ideal and he doesn't recommend it; he would leave on medical grounds if he were posted to a front line location again. (Germany was fine.)
3) There are some people in the military that develop food allergies as an adult (think shellfish) and keep their positions. I'm not sure if they are weeded out through annual physicals or what. My friend knows several others who carry EpiPens - for stings, for shellfish, and for a preservative in their MRE meals. They have an orange tab on their uniform to identify them. (I'm not sure if that is official or not, but that's what he told me.)
After conversing with my friend, it certainly seems like FAs should be a universal disqualifier.
1) It appears that in Canada they are excluding more and more people with allergies from joining the military. Some people still seem to get through though, whether it be because of their particular allergy not being common, the position they apply for, or random chance I don't know. Back when I went through recruitment it wasn't considered as much as it is now.
2) My friend fully disclosed his egg allergy up front (back at the same year I went through recruitment) and was accepted and posted on foreign soil twice (Germany, Afghanistan). He often went hungry in Afghanistan because he could only eat in the crew mess. He would hoard and trade food whilst in Afghanistan. Probably not ideal and he doesn't recommend it; he would leave on medical grounds if he were posted to a front line location again. (Germany was fine.)
3) There are some people in the military that develop food allergies as an adult (think shellfish) and keep their positions. I'm not sure if they are weeded out through annual physicals or what. My friend knows several others who carry EpiPens - for stings, for shellfish, and for a preservative in their MRE meals. They have an orange tab on their uniform to identify them. (I'm not sure if that is official or not, but that's what he told me.)
After conversing with my friend, it certainly seems like FAs should be a universal disqualifier.