Topic: Medical Failure

[Gaara]

I did my medical and I aprently passed the sound and pea test but when i went to the doctors office he just looks at me and his like NO. He said i want qualified to be in Infantry with my vision and told me Im a v4. I got pretty shut down with this and told me the only thing I can be is cook, clurk or medic. It kinda insulted me. But I dont get it can I can see practicully perfectly with my contact lenses on. Is there nothing else I can do to get into infantry? Im phoning my recruiting officer and seeing what the deal is. Any one else have any suggestions?

[-Skeletor-]

You didnt fail your medical exam, you just didnt qualify for the Combat Arms due to your vison.

Unless your vison improves an you retake the medical an score a V3, your out of luck.

Also, wearing contact lenses in the field isn‘t advisable, your be wearing glasses, an the thing is, what if you loose/break them?  Combat Service Support trades are good though, if you want to be in the Army, read up on the trades you were offered, an see if any of them interest you.

[Allan Luomala]

I don‘t want to be nit picky (but I will, as it is my way....): you don‘t have to be particularly smart to be in the Army (actually, being smart in the Army is counter-productive usually ;} ), but proper spelling and grammar count for something nowadays, even in the Infantry (or Armour Corps, which I am a member in somewhat good standing).

I assume "pea test" is the drug testing (which I pray to God, Allah and/or Buddha in this day and age is done to new recruits...). "Clurk‘s" need to have a reasonably good grasp of English (it‘s "clerk", or more precisely Resource Management Support (RMS) Clerk).

Anyway, enough criticizing: I just talked to my wife (she‘s a medical technician) and she suggested you look up CFP 154 Medical Standards (here‘s the link:  http://www.forces.gc.ca/health/policies/med_standards/engraph/annex_e_e.asp  ) and it will show a list of trades and minimum requirements (it‘s a PDF file). You could also think about getting laser eye surgery done (at your own expense), but I would DEFINITELY confirm that they will still allow you to enter with that done (I think that there have been about a million and one posts ref this subject on this forum, so do a search first, and a Barrack Block Lawyer will have answered that already...)

In case they haven‘t told you, your vision has to be a certain level "unassisted" (i.e. no glasses, contacts, X-Ray vision ,beer-goggles, etc). Getting "riot" gas under contacts is quite unbearable I‘ve heard, let alone the more nasty chemical agents you could be exposed to, hence you wouldn‘t be able to wear contacts in "battle".

Anyway, I hope that helped somewhat (keeping in mind that I‘m a crewman with limited knowledge of the medical system.... though I do know 3 points of contact during your over 35 medical is a bad thing.... make the bad man stop).

Al

[chk2fung]

My friend was in a similar situation.  He was very gung ho and really wanted to be in the infantry but then he was classifed V4.  He was not allowed into the combat arms.  He was however able to become a Signals Officer.  Combat support trades like Signals is right up there in the thick of things and may be as close as you can get.  If you‘re going officer look at Signals Officer 84 or if NCM look at Signal Operator  215.  Hope taht helps.

[quebecrunner]

Hey, i badly wanted to be an DEO Officer for infantry. Like you, I‘m a V4. It doesn‘t matter how good you see with contact lense. It will not help you since its the power of the lense that matter. I‘m -6.5 DO. That mean i am automatically V4.

If you want a piece of advice, go for laser surgery. I will do it in september. Right now, i‘m enlisting as an MOC 48 health administrator officer in the reserve, but i will go for reg in a few years.

[Gaara]

Is there anyway to retake the eye test without registering again for reserves. Plus I realized when they took my eye tests my glasses has been out dated a while ago caus i usually never wear them. Can I phone and ask for a retake on my eye exam?

[Andy_d]

Correct me if I‘m wrong, but V4 vision is only classified to you when you can‘t read past the top line of the chart without glasses on?

So a corrected prescription will unfortunately not help you on the V4 uncorrected category.

Again, correct me if I‘m wrong.

If you‘re so determined to join in some sort of infanteer role, I‘d suggest looking at R215 Signal Operator as well. Seems like an infanteer and technical trade all in one.

[Gaara]

I would but they said the only thing Im good for is cook, clurk, and medic. Some people I know that are in the reserves currently is they might be racial profiling you. But i dont know if thats true or not. Hopefully not. Again is there anyway I can reake the vision test without applyin again? This is a big shutdown to me if I cant get in because of my vision.

[WillyMethod]

Racial Profiling On the basis your Vision Problem

It isnt Profiling its the Truth

[48Highlander]

Ofcourse it‘s racial profiling.  Everyone knows that only white people have good vision.

Anyone know how to make a sarcastic smiley on here?

[Gaara]

Yeah i know thats why I kinda didnt belive what my friend said because it has nothin to do with racialness. But can somone plz answer this. Can I re-take my vision test again  with out reaplyin for infantry again?

[bossi]

Even if you get new glasses, your "uncorrected vision" won‘t change.
And, the minimum requirement for uncorrected vision is a real one - your life depends on it; if you get your glasses or contact lenses knocked off/out, you have to be able to see ...

As for racial profiling, I‘m curious - after all my years in Army recruiting, and in my anthropology and biology courses at university, I don‘t remember hearing there was a race that was well-known for their poor eyesight (in-breeding, yes, but that‘s not racial ...).

Perhaps your friend could enlighten me via Private Message?  However, without the benefit of his apparently vastly superior knowledge, I‘d be tempted to say it sounds an awful lot like a cynical attempt to manipulate the system (and unfairly cast aspersions upon the reputation of the recruiting staff).  Please tell your friend to be very careful what he says in the future.

[48Highlander]

If you REALLY want infantry, your only option is laser eye surgery.  Go talk to a specialist and if they think they can significantly improve your eyesight, put your application on hold untill after the surgery.

[Old Cent Hand]

I agree with Highlander , go for the laser eye surgery.

[Gaara]

Im 16 years old and I think im too young and its too dangerous to go for it right now. Plus they told me theyre not sure if they wanna acept people wit eye surgery in the infantry.

[Old Cent Hand]

Allen Loumala , posted a site given to him by his wife ( a Medic).It should help in determining medical criteria , for joining the CF. When in doubt , ask a medic , ie Allen‘s wife. I‘m just a " Tanker", not very good at medical stuff. I cut my knee on ex. once , sewed myself up , and man did the W.O. Medic dump on me! So now I leave medical stuff up to the people who know it best , " The Medics" , never leave home without one!

[-Skeletor-]

Originally posted by Battousai:
[qb] Im 16 years old and I think im too young and its too dangerous to go for it right now. Plus they told me theyre not sure if they wanna acept people wit eye surgery in the infantry. [/qb]

Yea, my optromitrist said its best to get it done when your in your 20‘s.

Anyways, as far as I know, if you get LASIK, the only trade you can‘t go into is  Pilot.


Also, on the link Allen Loumala provided, what do the following Letters mean?

CV, H, G, O, A

[Gaara]

My recruiting officer phoned me and he said you cant be in unless you either get eye surgery or choose another trade like medic and trasnfer later if your eyes get better and than he just said good luck.

[MedCorps]

V - Visual Acuity
     (V1 - V5 with V1 being the best)
CV - Colour Vision
     (CV1, CV2 or CV3)
H - Hearing
     (H1 - H4 with H1 being the best)
G - Geographical Factor
     (G1 - Passed geo testing above normal)
     (G2 - No geo limitations - normal)
     (G3 - G6 has geo limitations with G6 being  
     the worst)
O - Occupational Factor
     (O1 - Passed unique duty test - above normal)
     (O2 - Normal)
     (O3 - 06 has occupational limits with O6  
      being the worst)
A - Air Factor
     (A1 - Pilot fit to fly)
     (A2 - All other aircrew fit to fly)
     (A3 - Aircrew limitation)
     (A4 - Aircrew not currently on flying duty)
     (A5 - Non-aircrew can fly as passenger)
     (A6 - Non-aircrew cannot fly as passenger)
     (A7 - Aircrew cannot fly as aircrew)

Cheers,

MC (111225)

[sm0ke]

If you REALLY want infantry, your only option is laser eye surgery.   Go talk to a specialist and if they think they can significantly improve your eyesight, put your application on hold untill after the surgery.

I'm in a similar position, eyesight -4.5 in each eye, so I have also had to put my app on hold until I can get them zapped.   As an aside, I was informed by the recruiter here in Halifax (please correct me if this info is wrong) that once the surgery has been successfully completed, I must wait 6 months for the eyes to fully heal before my application can be processed, and I must also provide documentation from my eye doctor stating they have fully healed.