1 in 5 Americans can't serve!

[KOM]

I saw this news segment a while ago talking about how 1 in every 5 American's is too fat to serve in the military. They even have special physical trainers in the military for those really interested to shed that weight.

So yeah...you think maybe we could save a few dollars on healthcare in this country if people would lay off the whoppers, quarter pounders, etc.

On the flip side, who needs bullet proof vests when you've got 20'' of gelatinous lard around your waist to protect you?

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[Saddleshoes]

Another interesting fact is one of the most common disqualifying health issues is a poor dental condition. (That would be a dental class 3 for you military dentists reading this.)

The sad thing is that the kids that need the military most for a step up on the American economic ladder are the same ones that get bounced out on bad teeth. It is a real Catch 22!

I learned this when I did enlistment exams as part of my work with the Air National Guard.

 

[eric275]

Another interesting fact is one of the most common disqualifying health issues is a poor dental condition. (That would be a dental class 3 for you military dentists reading this.)

The sad thing is that the kids that need the military most for a step up on the American economic ladder are the same ones that get bounced out on bad teeth. It is a real Catch 22!

I learned this when I did enlistment exams as part of my work with the Air National Guard.

That's interesting, perhaps it's a national guard thing. Is your experience with the guard the sole source of your info? For both physicals when I enlisted in the Army and recieved my comission in the Navy I never recieved a dental exam.

 

[Saddleshoes]

That's interesting, perhaps it's a national guard thing. Is your experience with the guard the sole source of your info? For both physicals when I enlisted in the Army and recieved my comission in the Navy I never recieved a dental exam.

Officers can skate around the enlistment exam whisch is typicality given at a MEPS Center. Department of Defense (DOD) Directive 6130.3, Physical Standards for Appointment,Enlistment, and Induction is the guide line here....
here is the verbiage......

he causes for rejection for appointment, enlistment, and induction (without an approved waiver) are an authenticated history of: a. Diseases of the jaw or associated tissues which are not easily remediable, and will incapacitate the individual or otherwise prevent the satisfactory performance of duty. This includes temporomandibular disorders (524.6) and/or myofascial pain dysfunction that is not easily corrected or has the potential for significant future problems with pain and function.
b. Severe malocclusion (524) that interferes with normal mastication or requires early and protracted treatment; or relationship between mandible and maxilla that prevents satisfactory future prosthodontic replacement.
c. Insufficient natural healthy teeth (521) or lack of a serviceable prosthesis, preventing adequate mastication and incision of a normal diet. This includes complex (multiple fixture) dental implant systems that have associated complications that severely limit assignments and adversely affect performance of world-wide duty. Dental implants systems must be successfully osseointegrated and completed.
d. Orthodontic appliances for continued treatment (V53.4) (attached or removable). Retainer appliances are permissible, provided all active orthodontic treatment has been satisfactorily completed.



The trick is in the interpretation. We were told if the inductee had a problem that would possibly flare up during the basic training period to bounce them out. It was explained to us that basic is so tightly scheduled that the recruit will not have time to fix a dental problem.


My experience was with the Air Force. However, I have heard reports from welfare type agencies in my state (Illinois) that dental s the lock set keeping "Welfare Kids" out of all of the military services.

 

[umkcdds]

In the army, the initial dental exams are not given until you arrive at the location where you will be going through basic training.

That is the point where new recruits can get disqualified for dental reasons. Unless something has changed (since I first went through MEPS in 1998) you don't get a dental exam at MEPS.

 

[Mazz]

In the army, the initial dental exams are not given until you arrive at the location where you will be going through basic training.

That is the point where new recruits can get disqualified for dental reasons. Unless something has changed (since I first went through MEPS in 1998) you don't get a dental exam at MEPS.

as of 2002 this is still true.

 

[KOM]

In the army, the initial dental exams are not given until you arrive at the location where you will be going through basic training.

That is the point where new recruits can get disqualified for dental reasons. Unless something has changed (since I first went through MEPS in 1998) you don't get a dental exam at MEPS.

So, what if your basic training is delayed until you graduate and then they find dental issues or any other health condition for that matter?

 

[umkcdds]

as a dentist, you won't get out of the army that easily. it will get fixed.....possibly delaying things further.

enlisted recruits could possibly be disqualified for dental conditions.

 

[krmower]

So, what if your basic training is delayed until you graduate and then they find dental issues or any other health condition for that matter?

In the Army - the state of dental readiness of some of the recruits is pretty bad. There is no screening prior to entry. Then when they are in basic training and AIT (where they learn their skill), that is the time they are supposed to take care of all their major dental issues. I can still remember one case where we pulled all the teeth one recruit had and had to make him immediate dentures.

All minor dental issues wait until they get to the location they are going to be assigned. If they are in the Guard/Reserve it waits until they sign up for the dental insurance and go to a dentist where they live.

 

[teeth63a]

Then when they are in basic training and AIT (where they learn their skill), that is the time they are supposed to take care of all their major dental issues.

That's more or less true. Most (if not all) Class 3 issues are taken care of at basic or AIT.

At Fort Hood the Dental Inprocessing Center was completed in 2003 (or so), and anyone who slipped through basic had their Class 3s taken care of there, before they reported to their unit.

 

[umkcdds]

First Term Dental Readiness (FTDR) is a huge priority for DENCOM right now - taking care of Class 3 soldiers before they leave AIT. going to a post with an AIT usually means lots of sick-call and class 3 work. i spent a couple months at APG last summer and spend the whole time doing class 3's and exodontia. we weren't even seeing AIT soldiers that weren't in Class 3, unless there were no Class 3 soldiers to see at that moment (which wasn't very often). almost all permanent party soldiers were being sent off post.

here at Fort Campbell, we still get a few % of soldiers inprocessing here that are in class 3. they are identified by exams during inprocessing, then just sent to their units and taken care of like any other existing class 3 soldier.