Long story short I made the decision to apply for the reserves this summer while my husband was in Afghan. I had wanted to join before but with our family situation it wasn't right until now. Anyways I apply and started the interviews. I passed apptitude testing and could go any trade, passed interviews, medical one and then boom medical two I am told because I am allergic to bee's I can not move forward. I was shocked and then pissed. I filled out allergies THE FIRST FORM 2 MONTHS before the interviews!!!! It wasn't a secert I didn't hide it. Does no one read applications or do they just put numbers through? So now I wait and try new treatment to get rid of my allergy to bee's. I wish I would have known first instead of wasting my time applying I would have sought treatment first then applied. I wanted to join so bad I could taste it. Now I will seek treatment and then try again. I am not angry about the "rule" I am upset that NO ONE knew about it accept the medical staff.
Now I know but do you?
- Thread starter justawife
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I'm no expert on the process, but it does seem to me someone missed something, it also might be the Medical people are getting it wrong, but I'm not sure which.
The reason I'm saying this is because many people don't discover they're allergic to something until after they join, do we heave them out? No. So I'm kind of suspicious of the "no go gauge" here because of someone having an allergy, especially one to stinging insects.
I discovered sometime ago (1983) that I was allergic to hornets while in the field, it was quite nasty, the way it was dealt with then was you were given a sting kit that had to be carried everywhere, it was not a factor in my deployability up until 4 years ago. It was at that stage I was put on a temp category while I began the de-sensitising treatment for my allergy, 6 months after that the prognosis was good and I came off the temp category, and as of last year I no longer require the maintenance treatment, although I still keep an epi-pen available, just in case. Accroding to my last DAG (Feb 06) I'm deployable.
The upshot of what I'm saying is someone might be making an assumption here in your processing, ask, push it, find out for sure where it states that you can't join because you have an allergy to stinging insects, to me, it sounds bogus. If nothing else you'll make people pay closer attention to what they're doing. Hopefully one of the medical folks on this forum can pick up on this.
Good luck.
The reason I'm saying this is because many people don't discover they're allergic to something until after they join, do we heave them out? No. So I'm kind of suspicious of the "no go gauge" here because of someone having an allergy, especially one to stinging insects.
I discovered sometime ago (1983) that I was allergic to hornets while in the field, it was quite nasty, the way it was dealt with then was you were given a sting kit that had to be carried everywhere, it was not a factor in my deployability up until 4 years ago. It was at that stage I was put on a temp category while I began the de-sensitising treatment for my allergy, 6 months after that the prognosis was good and I came off the temp category, and as of last year I no longer require the maintenance treatment, although I still keep an epi-pen available, just in case. Accroding to my last DAG (Feb 06) I'm deployable.
The upshot of what I'm saying is someone might be making an assumption here in your processing, ask, push it, find out for sure where it states that you can't join because you have an allergy to stinging insects, to me, it sounds bogus. If nothing else you'll make people pay closer attention to what they're doing. Hopefully one of the medical folks on this forum can pick up on this.
Good luck.
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Perhaps it is time for some to do some Research into allergies; how they come about, how long they typically last, do they disappear with time, how sever can they get, does age affect them, etc.?
had the allergy since I was 12. The more times you are stung the deadlier the allergy. Age doesn't matter our son has same allergy since he was 2. Only know of this "new" treatment and there is hope. Glad to hear someone has had treatment and it worked.George Wallace said:
The personal at the front desk at CF recruiting didn't even know this "rule" existed and they are the first to greet Jane/John Doe public who are looking at joining CF and give them information.
I plan on seeking treatment and trying again (although they are keeping my file open) It was a stumbling block is all and if anyone else can avoid the same thing then all the better.
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It is all dependent on the degree of allergy. If you are true anaphlaxis reaction (throat swells, can't breath eventually death) to the allergin then yes you won't get in the military. Or if already in then have to under go allergy testing and then desensitization if available. If not or not willing to take you can be medically released. Do I agree? no. But these are the rules. Every allergy is different and some you won't know about. I know of personel who have eaten shellfish all their lives and suddenly are anaphlaxis reaction. Every case is different. So "Just a Wife" how bad is your reaction.
Kirsten
Kirsten
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justawife said:
Quit your whining. The front desk staff aren't suppose to deal with or answer questions regarding medical issues that is why there are medical personnel working at CFRC/Ds. The job of the front desk staff is to give job information not information on the latest allergy treatment.
HH
kincanucks said:
quit my whining OMG how about you learn to read properly Sir. Who is asking front desk about allergy treatment what I was stating is the recruiting personnel who work at the front desk and provide information to ppl who are interested in joining should be aware of what MEDICAL issues will automatically disqualify you from joining the military. Is it not the job of CF recruiters to know such issues?
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justawife said:
Sorry justawife but you are RTFOTL on that call. Let me ask you if you would know the 1,000,000 and one items that qualify or disqualify a person from the CF? Who do you think would know all of these? Perhaps your husband? Get real!
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justawife said:
justawife said:
Yes, the people at "the front desk" could state that some people with allergies do not get recruited. But .... and this is the real point .... they CANNOT assess your condition, they CANNOT predict the outcome of your medical referral, and they CANNOT tell you not to bother applying BECAUSE they ARE NOT the medical professionals. Now, please, ask yourself this, what would your first post have read like if the person "at the front desk" had heard from you that you have some allergies and then just told you not to bother applying? I have no doubt you'd be here demanding to know why you didn't get the full medical assessment, and what right or expertise they had to do that. You had the full service, which gave your case full consideration. Now, what else were you expecting?
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justawife said:
Of course! all CF recruiters are not just recruiters... They are also board-certified neuro-surgeons. Hence, their ability to know all medical issues, which could potentially affect you. They only have Medical personnnel at CFRC/Ds to provide a back up to the front-desk staff. Why just last month Kincanucks removed my appendix with only a blunt spoon, a tub of yoghourt, a bicycle pump and a ground-sheet. My god, he was magnificent... :
Read his answer again - front desk provide job information... if you answer yes to an allergy question, the medical staff will follow up.
I was told medical was the hardest part about applying. I asked questions as I had medical issues that if I was wasn't qualified then why apply. It was far more disappointing to learn after all travel and testing and thinking I had covered my bases prior to applying! Nothing is easy and I didn't expect it to be. I want it bad enough and I'll keep plugging away at it and do whatever I have to or am told too. Thanks for the comments negative and positive information is information glad to get it either way! This forum is a good way to learn for a beginner to learn the lesson you're nothing and shut the f*** up!
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justawife said:
This is a good attitude and I commend you for it. I would support what Mr. O'Leary has said. Get the allergy looked into in more detail, paper your file with positve information and perservere.
If you are the spouse or loved one of a person deployed to Afg., right now you are everything and more to them. Spill your beans, some will try and help you. Keep the faith.This forum is a good way to learn for a beginner to learn the lesson you're nothing and shut the f*** up!
I am a spouse but husband is now home from Afghan (6 weeks) My husband said the biggest lesson I have to learn if I want to join is "I am nothing and shut the f*** up" I mean no disrespect here and I honestly mean it when I say this forum is good to learn such a lesson from. As a wife I have respect because I have proved myself over the years but if I want respect from other CF members I need to earn it and it is harder to earn that then anything else in this world! I asked for info and the first person to tell me to stop "whining" I jumped wrong move on my part! I am learning slowly! ;Dwhiskey601 said:This is a good attitude and I commend you for it. I would support what Mr. O'Leary has said. Get the allergy looked into in more detail, paper your file with positve information and perservere.
If you are the spouse or loved one of a person deployed to Afg., right now you are everything and more to them. Spill your beans, some will try and help you. Keep the faith.
At the risk of opening up the ole can of bait again, here goes
There does seem to me to be a round about valid point to what you're asking. If during a process a question is asked but no action is taken, regardless what the response is, why bother asking that question?
In this particular case there's no way the recruiter can tell if your allergy condition will affect your application or not, this can only be determined by people trained to make the assessment, same as for any other medical condition. Again, why bother asking then at that 1st stage if there's no way of telling what effect it's going to have, leave it to the medical stage of the process to figure out.
It might be possible that the medical assessment was not complete and there may have been alternatives, for example going to an allergist to determine just how severe is it.
There's another thread under recruiting forums that talks quite a bit about allergies and the forces
http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/12898.0.html
after reading through that it might help you understand why they may have stopped your enrolment. Since its been on this site for about 2 years now it might've saved you some grief had you known about this site before you even applied, lots of good information here, but some bad too, and some is just wasted bandwidth. Don't worry, before too long you'll develop a BS detector too.
In any case don't think soldiers aren't entitled to whine, as the saying goes if they stop whining then something's wrong, either they don't believe their leaders can help or they don't trust them anymore, either way that's not good. Besides how the hell is anybody going to know what works or doesn't unless there's some feedback (bitchin) goin on.
There does seem to me to be a round about valid point to what you're asking. If during a process a question is asked but no action is taken, regardless what the response is, why bother asking that question?
In this particular case there's no way the recruiter can tell if your allergy condition will affect your application or not, this can only be determined by people trained to make the assessment, same as for any other medical condition. Again, why bother asking then at that 1st stage if there's no way of telling what effect it's going to have, leave it to the medical stage of the process to figure out.
It might be possible that the medical assessment was not complete and there may have been alternatives, for example going to an allergist to determine just how severe is it.
There's another thread under recruiting forums that talks quite a bit about allergies and the forces
http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/12898.0.html
after reading through that it might help you understand why they may have stopped your enrolment. Since its been on this site for about 2 years now it might've saved you some grief had you known about this site before you even applied, lots of good information here, but some bad too, and some is just wasted bandwidth. Don't worry, before too long you'll develop a BS detector too.
In any case don't think soldiers aren't entitled to whine, as the saying goes if they stop whining then something's wrong, either they don't believe their leaders can help or they don't trust them anymore, either way that's not good. Besides how the hell is anybody going to know what works or doesn't unless there's some feedback (bitchin) goin on.
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Your post does show a potential flaw in the recruiting process. It would be better for all concerned if, when a medical condition is noted on the application, the file was flagged for immediate assessment by the medical people. It could save both the CF and the applicant a lot of wasted time. But, on the flip side, if this was for civilian employment and you wanted the job bad enough you would jump through all kinds of hoops just for the slight chance of getting it. It is easy to complain about the CF but we have to keep in mind that until you are enrolled it is strictly an employer/applicant relationship and nothing more.
I had two interviews in total one locally and then one in a major city. I asked my questions in the first one thinking I was covering my bases. Turned out to be not case so sh*t happens. The CF pays a couple of hundred for someone like me to travel to the city for the appitude testing, 2nd personal interview, and medical testing. My allergy is severe enough to warrant questions.
" But, on the flip side, if this was for civilian employment and you wanted the job bad enough you would jump through all kinds of hoops just for the slight chance of getting it." I do want it bad enough and will continue to jump through whatever hoops I need too. I think if anyone wants anything in life bad enough they would do so. As they say "it is not the mountains in your path that stop you it is the rock in your shoe" If I don't make it into the CF it won't be from a lack of trying.
"There's another thread under recruiting forums that talks quite a bit about allergies and the forces
http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/12898.0.html
after reading through that it might help you understand why they may have stopped your enrolment. Since its been on this site for about 2 years now it might've saved you some grief had you known about this site before you even applied, lots of good information here" How true that statement is I only wished I had known but I know now and will learn everything that I can here.
" But, on the flip side, if this was for civilian employment and you wanted the job bad enough you would jump through all kinds of hoops just for the slight chance of getting it." I do want it bad enough and will continue to jump through whatever hoops I need too. I think if anyone wants anything in life bad enough they would do so. As they say "it is not the mountains in your path that stop you it is the rock in your shoe" If I don't make it into the CF it won't be from a lack of trying.
"There's another thread under recruiting forums that talks quite a bit about allergies and the forces
http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/12898.0.html
after reading through that it might help you understand why they may have stopped your enrolment. Since its been on this site for about 2 years now it might've saved you some grief had you known about this site before you even applied, lots of good information here" How true that statement is I only wished I had known but I know now and will learn everything that I can here.
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George Wallace said:
Yes, HEAVEN FORBID they actually get a book out and study about recruitment when they're posted to the RECRUITING SECTOR!
A lot of people in the CF are lazy. They don't start out that way, they become that way over time. Working for the government does it to everyone. I even became lazy when I was in. The reality of it is, in civilian corporations, if you were in recruitment for them you are EXPECTED to know the in's and out's of the entire process and also what can disqualify people. These people have to work very hard and dilligently to keep their positions.
A posting to the recruitment sector is considered a vacation and they treat it as such. Members of the CF are untouchable if they're stupid; civilian workers are not. Believe me there are A LOT of stupid people in the forces too. So what happens? They get posted to places like the recruitment section so they can't screw anything up. This doesn't mean that all people in recruitment are mentally slow, it just means that a lot of the more challenged folk are found there.
It's commonly known.
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BulletProof said:
WOW ... you are asking for trouble here!
First of all - as a "lazy" government employee, who works 7:30-4 and often well into my personal time in the evenings - I personally find this remark insulting. When I am not doing my overtime, I am finishing my degree, and raising 2 young children. At the same time I try to support my husband, a soldier, in whatever it is he is tasked with at the time.... I am sorry that your limited (3 years is it??) experience with the government and military has been so negative -
Your post is not in any way helpful to "justawife" and is trolling for trouble - be careful...
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