bit of advice

[frankieb]

well applied for the marines did everything but failed on my medical history which is really annoying because it was for when i was like 14 and i am 18 now. I have been told i have to wait till im 20. I have no idea what to do in that time any advice? and if i went to a different afco would they know i have to wait 2 more years before a can reapply?

 

[mattbea]

talk to your doctor, see if they can like NOT PRINT the problem if they think it is not relevant and it could stop your career plans for no reason.. and then not tell the afco the problem and maybe a chance, im supposedly ineligible for life now.. but hopefully the records they have on me will be destroyed after 3 years n then i will try again... self harm is my problem but I have been drunk when it happened so not sure if its deliberate self harm plus I have done training before and never did anything like that.

 

[frankieb]

yer is it true when your 21 your medical records get destroyed from when your a child|?

 

[mattbea]

I dont know about that, but if so then bingo!

 

[frankieb]

i think so have a look on the NHS website about medical records il give you the link mate http://www.patients-association.org.uk/FAQ-Category/8 this is the bit you want;
How long are medical records kept?

Health authorities are required to keep confidential records for the minimum time possible that is practical.

Records must be kept relating to a child up to the age of twenty one. Adult records must be kept for at least three years, usually for seven.

Many hospitals will have records going back for much longer than seven years; in particular if a person hasn’t moved away from the area or has been using service for a long period of time.

 

[mattbea]

I think partly to do with me being really peed off the otherday was the fact I had to tell this medical officer about myself too on medical grounds still knowing the fact he failed me for self harm I didnt actually deliberatley do. Then telling me I self harmed 3 times as I intended to do it when I got detained which is not actual self harm.. many threats people make are threats but not actual doing. But seriously mate definitely get all this checked out before making the move and do not say F all if you know there is nothing wrong with you, my mistake was that really, I said too much.

 

[frankieb]

i know it pisses me off that i didn't say f all i would have got in! but no got to wait 2 years. are you appealing against the decision?

 

[mattbea]

of course I am mate, fact is I only said to the MO what I "thought" it said on my medical report on my GP's, so I might have said TOO MUCH but yea Im having a word with the doctor as it says on that site you gave me about wrong information etc. I know there fack all wrong with me just stupid medical reports made me say anything in the first place, I have had zero medication and have had NO diagnoses. so makes me wonder why doctors reports say anything that is not a fact, its pathetic!

 

[frankieb]

well good luck with it and all the best im sure if you keep at it they will let you in even if ya have to wait a year or two.

 

[captainobvious]

DO NOT leave out any information when applying, tell your AFCO everything like you're supposed to, if you get caught out at a later stage you'll be discharged and it's then a pain in the hiney to get back in.

If you've been told you can't join for 2 years by all means question it, ask for a second opinion, if the second opinion affirms the first though you'll just have to deal with it. Use the 2 years to train hard, I imagine (RN here, not RM) that commando training is EXTREMELY demanding physically, with 2 years of preparation you might be able to take the edge off it a little

 

[Shortty]

I personally think the medical standards that are set for British armed forces as a whole can be too restrictive. If you compare the US's standards to ours, they are much more tollerant generally, and allow for much more indivdual exceptions. I also personally think the medical community is somewhat slow to react to changes in medicine unless it is pushed forward by drugs companies or standard research.

Practical example, self harm is a condition usually related to depression. Depression is a condition that is highly correlated to low self esteem. Low self esteem and depression are both very effectively targetted with exercise - in fact in Germany they prescribe exercise for depression, in Britain you get a prescription. So, someone who has had trouble in the past with depression or self harm, surely the best prescription you could give them would be to take up a career that is sociable, active, requires high physical fitness, gives a sense of self worth - sounds like the corps to me...

I have heard it said in the past that at medicals if you raise an issue, then they will take it seriously because if you've raised it then surely it must be serious - nice logic?!? However yes if you lie then you stand to get booted and possibly prosecuted. Best bet would be to speak to your GP first and see what he will put on your form.

As to length the records are held - that depends on where the records are. If its in your patient notes with your GP, then it's staying there forever. If it's at a hospital then yeah it'll probably get binned at some point...

 

[lukep]

Don't tell the Bastwerds nuffink!!

 

[supermario]

Hi ,

Firstly all the AFCO's are linked by computer, so trying a different one will not work.

Secondly the medical officer's decision is pretty much final, unless you can get your own Dr to give them good reason to change there minds.

Thirdly, if you lie you will some day get caught out and potentially then get thrown out of the RN/RM with no chance to then re-join.

You would be better to wait a couple of years, using that time to fully prepare yourself. Therefore giving yourself the best chance of passing the training first time.

Hang on in there and you'll succeed

SM

:nemo:

 

[NZ_Bootneck]

Don't tell me, another myopic, asthmatic, Emo emotin', beer drinkin',acid takin', pill poppin', street fightin', arm cuttin' Potential Royal Marine.
The Royal Marines extremely demanding ...who'd a thunk it!!

Believe it or not the Corps and the Royal Navy are not refusing you on Medical Grounds just to pish you off.
Those responsible for setting the standards and the Medical Officers who enforce them have got a pretty good idea of just what the RM/RN requires physically from those who wish to join, they have probably, medically speaking anyhow, seen it all and had a damned good go at treating it too.
They know, for example, that a person with medical condition X has a 25% less chance of passing out than a person who doesn't have medical condition X.
Unfortunately the RM/RN doesn't have the budget to spend on people who statistically have less chance of passing out, the monies are better spent on those that statistically can, ie someone who meets the physical requirements.
NZB

 

[witsend]

I personally think the medical standards that are set for British armed forces as a whole can be too restrictive. If you compare the US's standards to ours, they are much more tollerant generally, and allow for much more indivdual exceptions. I also personally think the medical community is somewhat slow to react to changes in medicine unless it is pushed forward by drugs companies or standard research.

Practical example, self harm is a condition usually related to depression. Depression is a condition that is highly correlated to low self esteem. Low self esteem and depression are both very effectively targetted with exercise - in fact in Germany they prescribe exercise for depression, in Britain you get a prescription. So, someone who has had trouble in the past with depression or self harm, surely the best prescription you could give them would be to take up a career that is sociable, active, requires high physical fitness, gives a sense of self worth - sounds like the corps to me...

I have heard it said in the past that at medicals if you raise an issue, then they will take it seriously because if you've raised it then surely it must be serious - nice logic?!? However yes if you lie then you stand to get booted and possibly prosecuted. Best bet would be to speak to your GP first and see what he will put on your form.

As to length the records are held - that depends on where the records are. If its in your patient notes with your GP, then it's staying there forever. If it's at a hospital then yeah it'll probably get binned at some point...

BLAHHHHHHHHHHH, PMSL!!!!!!!!!

Mr X "I'm feeling rundown"
Doctor "Join the marines"

OR

Mr X "I'm feeling rundown"
Doctor "Jump on the treadmill"

OR

Mr X "I'm feeling rundown"
Doctor "Pop a pill"

Wake up for feck sake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[janner]

If you obtain any job lying you could end up in court and get a criminal record for deception. (Pecuniary Advantage). Think very carefully before going down that route. As SM says AFCO's are linked.

 

[Ninja_Stoker]

Practical example, self harm is a condition usually related to depression. Depression is a condition that is highly correlated to low self esteem. Low self esteem and depression are both very effectively targetted with exercise - in fact in Germany they prescribe exercise for depression, in Britain you get a prescription. So, someone who has had trouble in the past with depression or self harm, surely the best prescription you could give them would be to take up a career that is sociable, active, requires high physical fitness, gives a sense of self worth - sounds like the corps to me...

There are times when expletives are simply not enough.

 

[NotmeChief]

If you compare the US's standards to ours.....

surely the best prescription you could give them would be to take up a career that is sociable...

The best prescription would be to ship them off the the U.S. and let them join up there, they seem to love them so much.

 

[sgtpepperband]

Practical example, self harm is a condition usually related to depression. Depression is a condition that is highly correlated to low self esteem. Low self esteem and depression are both very effectively targetted with exercise - in fact in Germany they prescribe exercise for depression, in Britain you get a prescription. So, someone who has had trouble in the past with depression or self harm, surely the best prescription you could give them would be to take up a career that is sociable, active, requires high physical fitness, gives a sense of self worth - sounds like the corps to me...

Doctor, are we?! :roll:

 

[frankieb]

your prob right think i might stick it out for 2 years it's not like i can never join just going to do loads of training so when it comes to selection il be like superman. still i have too agree that the medical restrictions are too harsh. Just out of interest are there a lot of uk people in the us armed forces?